TeCoven Generation
by PrincessLeeLee7
Summary: When their talents are analyzed without their knowledge, two teenagers are unwillingly sent off to camp to become part of a private agency where aged family mysteries are revealed.
1. Chapter 1

_**So, here it is (finally), my first story here on fanfiction! I really hope you guys enjoy this!**_

**Disclaimer: I do not own Alvin and the Chipmunks and Chipettes**

Summary: When their talents are analyzed without their knowledge, two teenagers are unwillingly sent off to camp to become part of a private agency where aged mysteries are revealed.

TeCoven Generation

Chapter 1

A gust of wind snuck its way in through the cracked window of the cozy home that summer afternoon. The sweet-smelling wind lightly kissed the forehead of the sleeping fifteen-year-old, who decided to crash on the couch after school had let out before his homework would even be thought of. As he slept comfortably, he breathed easily with his cap slipped over his eyes to shield them from the bright sunlight that covered his whole body like a warm sheet. With each intake of fresh air, he was more at home, a soft smile of security making its way onto his cool face. He rustled around in his sleep and caressed the couch's pillow against his body and sighed. It was then that a gentle and warming hand tenderly squeezed his shoulder, making him moan in displeasure. "It's just me," the reassuring voice whispered lightly in his ear.

The boy's eyes slowly fluttered open, his eyes adjusting, the image blurred at first, but after some time the figure came into clear view, having yet another smile appear on his face. "Hello," the sleepy Alvin greeted wearily as he attempted to lift himself to sit upright.

The once blurry figure, his mother Vinny placed her petite hand to his chest and gently pushed him back, a smile of modesty creeping its way in. "You stay here for a minute," she instructed as she knelt beside the couch, "you'll get dizzy if you stand up right after you wake up."

Alvin chuckled under his breath before resting his head back on the armrest, gazing up at the ceiling. "Oh Mom," he mumbled faintly.

"Are you hungry?" Vinny asked as she stood to her bare feet. "I made sandwiches with no tomatoes, I promise!"

At that point, Alvin knew he was home; not the fact that his mother made him sandwiches, but the simple fact that he was in his mother's presence. Don't get Alvin wrong, though; he loves Dave with all his heart. However, on the other hand, for Alvin that is, nothing was more heartwarming than a mother's special touch that he never questioned, for he could never fathom how such a petite woman could hold so much love and kindheartedness and release it all into a single hug. "Thanks Mom, but I'm not too hungry."

Vinny placed a hand to her hip with a confused look plastered on her face. "Well, I was sure you were hungry. My little boy's too old for afterschool snacks now?" she asked teasingly with a wink.

"I promise," Alvin began as he lifted himself up, "I'll eat before I leave!" he committed to his mother before heaving a heavy yawn. "Plus, I'll need energy for tonight," he continued with a nod of his head.

"For your track meet you've been telling me about this whole week?"

Alvin nodded once more followed by a hefty chuckle. "I'm just so pumped to run the 400 meter!" he exclaimed as he made his way into the kitchen with his mother following close behind. "Everyone at school thinks I'm the fastest runner!" he gloated as he took one of the tiny sandwiches from the decorative plate.

"Oh yeah?" Vinny teased with a sly smile.

"Of course, Mom; even you know I'm pretty fast!"

Vinny giggled to her heart's content and took a sandwich from the plate as well. "Sweetheart, I've seen you run," she assured. "I would think you could beat a cheetah if you were put up to one!"

"And," Alvin began, "I'm doing long jump, too. But those are the only events I'm doing."

Vinny raised an eyebrow and asked, "Well, why is that? Is it something your coach said?"

"He said I have the advantage when it comes to speed," he explained, taking a monstrous bite out of his sandwich, "but he said I don't have the strength for shot-put."

It was then that Vinny burst into a fit of giggles, which made Alvin less-than-happy. "Oh Alvin…"

"Why is that funny?"

"Sweetie," Vinny began as she placed a delicate hand on his shoulder, "I'm laughing because it's true!"

Alvin crossed his arms tightly over his chest and grimaced, "But Mom-"

"Girls your age are flattered when they see you run," she admitted, interrupting Alvin, "_but_... nothing flatters a girl more than seeing a guy fling that metal ball to Timbuktu!" She took her hand away from his shoulder and wrapped her tiny fists around his arm, not able to touch her fingertips, but she hoped to get her point across. Alvin was in fact significantly tinier than the boys in his grade. "I mean, you have muscles, but you're still pretty small for your age."

Alvin gazed at himself from head to toe and couldn't help but to laugh as well. "Okay, I guess you're right. It wouldn't kill me to have more protein in my diet."

"But not too much!" she warned with a shake of her finger. "Muscle can weigh you down while running!"

With that said, Alvin couldn't help but stare at his mother in shock, his blue eyes narrowing tight. "Mom… h-h-how do you know so much about this stuff?"

"Back in high school," she started, folding her hands behind her back as she made her way to the opposite side of the living room, "I was passionate about track, just like you are!"

Alvin's jaw slightly dropped and a smile came after. "You, my mom, ran track?" he asked in the utmost disbelief.

Vinny gave a single nod and slowly opened a nearby drawer. From inside, she fumbled around and finally pulled out a picture bent at the corners with a few spots here and there, but overall, the picture was in decent condition. She urged Alvin to come to her side. "I haven't looked at this picture in ages!"

The colorful photograph held five of the fittest students Alvin had ever laid eyes on, one student being his blue-eyed brown-haired mother. Her smile read cockiness, which Alvin never seen in her before; her chest was poked out in the upmost confidence and her stance was strong and beholding. Centered at the bottom of the picture read, 'Westmont High School 1985-1986 First Place,' and Alvin gazed at the picture in amusement and grasped it loosely in his hands. His own mother, a hidden track star, and he still couldn't process it, even though the picture was all the proof he would ever get. "Mom, you went to Westmont High?" he asked suddenly.

"All four years."

The two continued to gawk over the aged photo. Just by holding it, Alvin began to fantasize about the history behind this photo; he wondered what his mother was thinking at the time and how she felt being the star of the school. He loved this specific one of his mother; he saw it as a side of her that only she revealed when she wanted it to be revealed. He admired the picture and her, yearning to be the next school track star to carry on the family name.

"Watch out, Mom!" he bellowed, I'll be the next track star, you'll see!"

"You think so?"

"I know so!"

Vinny laughed aloud and slowly took the picture back. "You know who you remind me of?" she asked as she settled the picture back in the drawer, scrambling around for yet another. "Your grandfather, George; boy, was my father one boastful man, just like you!"

After some time, Vinny pulled out a photo of her father and began to straighten out the creases of the much older picture. This one differed from the previous one; this one was in sepia tone and centered at the bottom was 'Westmont High School 1960-1961 First Place.' Not only did the date take Alvin by surprise, but his grandfather's photo took the cake; a spitting image of Alvin, staring back at him with the same old arrogant smile and the look in his eyes saying 'I'm the damn best'. "Whoa… he looks just like me!"

"Crazy, huh?" she asked swiftly. "He talked about track so much when I was your age and how he adored it, I decided to do it!"

Alvin scratched his head in confusion and asked, "You had no training whatsoever?"

Vinny agreed. "I was fresh out of the box! Everyone on the team was skeptical about me, but I assured them I was the fastest runner in school!"

A sly smile smeared across Alvin's face before uttering a chuckle. "So… you were… boasting?" he exclaimed in doubt. He couldn't understand how an innocent woman such as his mother could even brag about herself; she didn't come off as being the type nor did it ever cross his mind.

Vinny blushed heavily in her cheeks and bellowed an airy sigh. "Truth be known, I was cocky; I thought I was the best the school offered…" she paused, her blue-eyed gaze drifting to Alvin, "so, if you're wondering where you got it from, you got it from me."

The two burst into a heart-filled laughter, and in the back of his mind, Alvin agreed that he was cocky, boastful, big-headed, you name it. So with that, he gave a small smile and analyzed the picture once more. As he examined the rest of the photograph, something else in it also caught his eye. "Hey Mom, what's with the napkin?" he asked, pointing to the piece of fabric hanging lazily out of his grandfather's pocket. On it, the initials TN were sewn in in elegant font with a blue, wavy boarder around the entire thing. He noticed the same piece hanging from her pocket in her high school photo, but thought nothing of it until now.

"That thing," she replied, "Your grandfather always told me he wore it for good luck," she explained before going into the drawer once again that day and pulled out the said handkerchief, not a blotch on it.

"Where did he get it from?" Alvin asked interestedly. "What does TN stand for?"

Vinny shrugged. She would tell Alvin everything about it, yet she hardly knew anything about it herself. "Come to think of it, he never told me!"

"I saw it on your picture, too, hanging from your pocket." Alvin threw in.

Fond memories began to sweep into Vinny's thoughts. "When I started track, he told me that it'll bring good luck in every meet…" she paused and laughed aloud. "After I started wearing it at my hip, I never got anything lower than second place… Until this day, I'll always know that this won me most of my meets." She tousled it in her hand and handed it to Alvin with ease, her eyes moistening with tears. "It was your grandfathers, and I know he'll be proud to know that I'm giving it to you."

Alvin's heart began to race within his chest, his cheeks turning a bright red. 'Responsibility' wrapped around his mind in an instant, and he knew he wasn't the most reliable guy in the world. With hesitation, he took it tight in his hold. "Mom, you know me though. I couldn't keep a cup of water safe!"

Vinny let a shaky sigh escape her lips, her jaw beginning to tremble, and nothing was able to stop the tears that flowed down her cheeks. With a single thumb, Alvin wiped away the discarded emotions from her face. "Sweetie, you've matured. I know you don't think so, but I see it every time I see you. I notice it when you talk, the way you care for your brothers, everything…" she paused, a weak smile spreading from ear to ear. "And your character makes me smile, because you remind me so much of your grandfather, it's almost… mindboggling…" In her tiny hands, she curled Alvin's fingers around the piece of history, her teardrops hitting it one by one. "Take it. I feel him urging you to take it."

At that, Alvin chuckled lightly, but hauntingly, he could almost feel two hands at his shoulders and a light draft at his ear. He nodded and folded it on the palm of his hands and placed it carefully in his pocket. "I'll take care of it! You have my word, Ma!"

It was then Vinny caressed her son her in her loving arms, taking Alvin by surprise, and slowly but surely, he returned the favor. "Thank you…" She nodded definitely when her eyes made their way to the clock hanging over the front door. "Oh! Alvin, it's almost four o'clock! Don't you have to be back at the high school by five?"

Alvin looked to the clock as well and immediately stood to his feet, grabbing his knapsack in his fist. "Thanks Mom. I totally forgot!" He scurried about the living room to look for his shoes and Algebra book, his eyes wide with frantic. "Man, the coach is gonna kill me if I'm late!"

"Now just relax, Alvin," Vinny spoke calmly as she handed the shaky teen his red sneakers from under the couch. "You have more than enough time to make it if you simply stay calm."

Alvin quickly wiped the sweat from his forehead and slipped on his shoes effortlessly. "Okay Mom…" he suddenly paused, his eyes growing wide with exciting. "You know what would be incredibly awesome?"

"Now what's that?"

"If… you came to watch me run." His fingers were crossed tightly around one another with a hopeful look on his face.

Vinny bit her lip as she made her way towards the window, and Alvin braced himself for the worse. "Sweetie, I have to cook and clean, a few of my friends wanted to stop by today, I have to run errands…" she named off her reasons with dismay and hurt sweeping over Alvin in an instant.

"It's fine then," he replied before throwing his knapsack over his shoulder and heading towards the door.

"But… I wouldn't miss it for the world."

With each word spoken, the dismay was lifted, making Alvin the happiest he had ever been. "You can come?"

Vinny nodded. "I might be a little late, but I'll make it."


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Thirty minutes had gone by with twenty-five minutes to go and Alvin had yet to put on his blue-attired uniform. It was a good thing that this particular track meet was presented at Westmont High School, for Alvin would have no time to get ready if otherwise. He burst into the empty locker room and sprinted his way to his designated sports locker, and to his luck and surprise, the padlock rested on the bench with his locker ajar. There he found a friendly note; "Just in case you were late."

Alvin chuckled under his breath and shook his head. "Thanks Pres," he thanked, referring to his long-time friend, Prescott McIntire.

Without a moment to spare, Alvin slipped off his jeans and short-sleeved shirt and replaced them with his partial-spandex uniform, which everyone on the team despised with a passion. He chucked his cap and shoes into the locker, slammed it back and jetted his way out, but before he could go any further, he looked over his shoulders and strutted his way back to his locker and pulled out his jeans and went through the pockets. Out he pulled the handkerchief, clenching it tightly in his fist. It was almost as if it called him back, but with no time to lose, he went back the same direction and out into the silent hallways, seeing a few of his competitors wandering the hallways freely, waiting for their coaches to call them back, Alvin figured as his eyes looked to the group of three.

He turned the corner down the next hallway filled with flyers and posters about who-knows-what and the school's janitor, who indeed had a coughing habit, or maybe a smokers' cough, the kids would assume. Alvin made his way pass without making any kind of contact and carried on. It was then that he passed one of the school's vending machines that held nothing but all types of Gatorade and Powerade. He knew he would need one before and during his relays, so he pulled out a crisp dollar bill and slid it into the narrow slot of the machine.

Suddenly, the low and petulant sound of mumbling soon filled his ears unwelcomingly, making him cringe in his spot. He looked all around his surroundings to find not a single person. So, he shook it off, presuming it was in his head and punched in the code for the blue Gatorade. Then came the mumbling again, and this time, Alvin was sure it was coming down the hallway. He crept his way along the wall and peaked around the corner. There, just a little distance way stood three towering men; all dressed in casual, everyday clothes, yet their demeanor – the way they looked about and paced the hallway – gave Alvin another idea. One, with a slip of paper balled in his hands flashed it to the other two, and whispered something that was inaudible to Alvin. But in a matter of seconds, it all went over his head as he made his way to the track in the back of the school. "Weirdos," he murmured with a chuckle before pushing his way through the back double doors, the clean track coming into view.

"Alvin!" a voice coming from the outdoor bleachers bellowed, quickly catching his attention.

He whirled around and caught sight of some familiar faces; his brothers and the girls all sitting in a group. He rushed his way over before having to stretch with his team, a puzzled look on his face. "Hey guys, what's up?" he greeted as he stood forth the five of them. "I didn't think you guys would come."

"And miss the track meet you've been talking about since last month?" Simon asked sarcastically followed by a sly smile. "Of course we wouldn't."

"Funny," Alvin replied grimly as he took a sip of his energy drink.

"So do you think you're ready?" Theodore chimed in.

"I know I'm ready," Alvin replied.

"And what makes you so sure?" an auburn-haired Brittany asked with a scoff as she crossed her arms in front of her.

With that, Alvin took a heavy seat next to the cheeky girl and sighed. "Well, if you guys haven't noticed, I'm the fastest runner at this school!"

"That may be true," Brittany had to admit. "But are you the fastest runner at this meet?"

Alvin narrowed his eyes and retorted with, "That, we'll find out."

"Guys, Alvin can do it for sure!" Eleanor exclaimed from behind. "When it comes to track and field, we have the best of the best!"

Alvin let out a single laugh and smiled widely. "At least Eleanor believes in me!"

"Don't get us wrong Alvin, we know you're really fast," Jeanette confessed, "but we watched some of these guys from other school's practice while you were gone. You might have a run for your money, believe it or not."

None of the comments fazed Alvin as he stood to his feet, taking another sip from his Gatorade. To him, it was all talk he heard before, and he almost enjoyed the uncertainty people had towards him. "Watch, I'll bring home the gold for Westmont!"

"Seville, there you are!" a booming voice rang through the teen's ears. It was one of the many track coaches, Coach Martinez with a look of desperation written on his face. "Seville, where have you been? You should be stretching by now!"

Alvin nodded without a single hesitation and followed him to the middle of the track. He knew not to argue since the coach had threatened to kick him off the team if he were ever late again, even by a second.

"Good luck!" another voice called, and Alvin could tell it was Brittany. He couldn't help but to smirk.

Once out in the middle of the track, Alvin began to stretch every joint, limb, and hamstring in his body to prevent any tearing similar to their last meet. It's safe to say Alvin always stretches twice as much as the others now. He sighed and looked all around the track and football field at who he might possibly be up against. Soon, he caught sight of a couple of runners from Westmont's rival school; Jewel Prep. The two boys were racing each other for kicks with a third boy timing the tiny event. They were off, and Alvin watched on, practically mesmerized by their speed. Once the race was done, the timer shouted out "15.7!" Alvin gasped aloud and jumped in the air abruptly, biting his lip in what was pure nervousness. _"I only got 24.3,"_ he thought dreadfully. At that very moment, he knew he had to step up his game for Westmont, his brothers, his friends, his mother, and especially his deceased grandfather. His hand went into the pocket of his uniform and pulled out the handkerchief. He held it to his dry lips and mumbled a prayer. He soon found that his eyes were saturated with tears.

"Wow, did you guys see that?" Simon blurted to the rest after witnessing the same race Alvin had saw. "Those guys were pretty fast."  
>"Heck yeah," Brittany agreed as she leaned over the guardrail. "Alvin Seville is twice as fast!" she shouted in hopes for everyone else to hear.<p>

"Alvin has it!" Eleanor piped in. "Those guys were just lucky that time!"

The time had come for track and field to begin, and the once confident Alvin who knew that he would get the gold medal was completely unsure of himself. Nevertheless, Alvin pushed those feelings aside and warmed up with his team off field. There, he saw his blonde-haired hazel-eyed friend, Prescott, who sat in the cold grass stretching his hamstrings. "Hey Prescott," he greeted as he took a seat next to him.

Prescott met gazes with him and chuckled about. "Ha, look what the cat dragged in."

"I know I was a little late," he swayed. "Plus, even if I was late, I wouldn't miss this meet for the world!"

Prescott scoffed. "I would!" he exclaimed. "Is it me, or does it seem like Jewel got faster since the last meet?"

"I'll admit, they do seem pretty fast, but it's nothing!" he assured himself and Prescott. "We beat Jewel last time! What makes you think we won't beat them this time?"

Prescott shrugged. "It's all observation, dude! I never saw any of us run like that!"

"Well, you better watch and see because I'll be running twice as fast!"

"Are you sure?"

"Positive… oh, and thanks for having my locker pried open before I came here! You totally saved my ass!"

Prescott chuckled. "I would save your ass… but I didn't. I don't even know your combo!"

Alvin frowned and rubbed his chin in thought, his mind racing. _"Who the hell knows my combo?"_

Everything was moving along nonchalantly as the teens and the rest of the audience watched race after race and with each race brought more anxiety for the crowd. People cheered, others booed, but all and all, the event would be the highlight of the weekend. Westmont was ranking second place for the 400 meter, and Alvin was determined to bring them to first. He was exhilarated to race. He could hear it in his thoughts; the adoring crowd chanting his name over and over with the honorable medal of first place settling at his chest. That thought alone kept his spirits up, his hopes in the clouds. It was then that his thinking was shattered by the same mumbling he heard previously in the hallway. As suddenly as he heard the reckless mumbles, a hefty hand came crashing down on his shoulder, his body shuddering in shock. He hesitated to, but he looked over his shoulder to find the same men, their stiff gaze examining him from head to toe.

"Um…" Alvin was the first to utter even a single word to the men that stood at least a foot and a half taller than he.

"Listen closely," the red-head man spoke menacingly with his grip growing tighter on Alvin's shoulder, "Maxwell. Does that ring a bell?"

Alvin's face scrunched in confusion. "What?" he hissed as he threw the man's arm away from his now aching shoulder. "What is Maxwell? Who's Maxwell?"

The men's expression softened as they all exchanged glances to one another. To Alvin, something had gone wrong; he didn't know what, but he could sense it. "What do you mean you don't know Maxwell?"

"Exactly what I meant!" Alvin mouthed to three.

"B-b-but you should know Maxwell!" a man of dark complexion stuttered. "You're-"

"… Making me late for my 400 meter race!" and with that, the hot-tempered teen marched off to the track, leaving the men to discuss their newfound worries… and to come up with a new plan…


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"What do you mean that's Maxwell's bloodline?" the red-head man asked the other two furiously, his rough hands balling up into white-knuckled fists. "You've got to be kidding me! The little shit was clueless when we mentioned Maxwell!"

"It's him, Jack!" the darker-complexion man spat aloud as he took the collar of his partner's shirt into his fists. As a few kids with their parents passed with looks of disapproval written on his faces, the men settled their tones for the sake of the community. "I've done endless research on this kid," he continued with a more appropriate tone to his voice. "All of the research I did, all of the information on file I found… they led me here in Westmont! He's related to Maxwell!"

"Well, sorry Darrel, but that's obviously not the kid we want! You told us that we were looking for Alvin Maxwell!" the other man whose name was Craig attacked. "No-brainer; this must be a different kid!"

"Look at the picture!" Darrel urged with all his might as he pulled the two into a huddle. Out from his coarse hand, he unraveled the same piece of paper he had shown them earlier. What was the paper, you ask? A very recent picture of their latest target, Alvin, taken just months prior… robbed from his athletic locker. "That kid we talked to just know? This is his picture all day long, and you guys can't tell me 'no'!"

Jack spewed a sigh and shoved his hands in the depths of his pockets. "Either this kid doesn't know his own surname, or…" he paused, giving a weak look, "… it isn't his surname at all…"

"So what are you saying?" Craig asked aloud.

"I'm saying he's not letting us in on something, or in some twisted event, he's actually completely clueless. Maybe his last name isn't Maxwell after all, so there's no way he could have known who Maxwell was when we mentioned him!"

The mystery was growing between the three and was soon accompanied with frustration. "What could've happened where this Alvin kid didn't take Maxwell as a last name?" Darrel fumed as he tapped his well-dressed foot in the dusty dirt below.

"Could they've lived with blood cousins, aunts, or uncles?" Craig assumed. "Perhaps he took their last name?"

Darrel shook his head and raised a broad hand in the air. "Can't be; Maxwell only had one child. Blood relatives of any kind are definitely not an option."

"Speaking hypothetically," Jack stated, "a mother with too much on her plate can easily take adoption into consideration, don't you think?" he gave the scenario to his partners.

Craig and Darrel handed off glances at one another, giving off their own sense of approval. "You think so?" Craig was the first to ask. "You think Maxwell's only kid gave up her children?"

"If so," Darrel began to piece two and two together, pacing the bald and patchy ground, "then that can be our answer, and this can absolutely be the kid we're looking for; just with a different last name!"

"Well, you know what that means, right?" Jack asked with the slyest of smiles. "We watch this kid run for the gold. If he wins this, there'll be no question that's he's in Maxwell's bloodline; Maxwell was always quick on his feet!"

"Of course you know!" Craig teased. "You're so old, you actually pulled Maxwell from _his_ track meet back in '61!"

Jack rarely stated his age, being a seventy-five-year-old man, but at this moment, he was quite proud, and he showed it as he popped the collar to his loud Hawaiian shirt. "And it'll be an honor to pull another from the Maxwell bloodline!"

Darrel marched off towards the bleachers and waved his hand for the other two to follow. "If we need more proof than research and files, I suggest we watch this kid run. We'll know if he's Maxwell's blood or not… hopefully we'll have us a mouse in our trap by the end of the night…"

The other two eagerly followed behind and soon found a place to sit in the packed bleachers.

**Very short chapter, I know, but keep a look-out for other chapters coming your way!**


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Oh gosh!" the anxious Brittany exclaimed to the others as she took a tight grip at the ends of her blue-jean shorts. "Alvin's racing next!"

"Exciting, isn't it?" Theodore asked with a wide smile as he stood to get a better look at the end of the track. "All he needs to do is win this last relay, and Westmont has the gold!"

Simon huffed aloud. "It's too bad this race will only make Alvin ten times smugger than he already is if he does win it. What a shame."

As the sun began to set with clouds of fuchsia and salmon rising overhead with the temperature taking on its drastic change, dropping at least ten degrees, the runners were being set at the end of the track with Alvin being placed at the far left. To take extra precaution, Alvin loosened his legs by holding them to his chest one at a time and squeezing with all his might. He slowly brought that leg back to the track and uttered a soundless sigh.

"Look at you," a disembodying expression caught Alvin's attention. He looked to the right of him to find his competitor from the rival school, Jewel High School Prep, home of the red ruby. In his red-attired uniform, the six-foot four-inch boy, who Alvin had saw race earlier gazed at him in the ultimate disgust. "You probably couldn't cross the finish line without coming in last place."

Once again, Alvin looked at his own physique from head to toe and growled in annoyance, considering the fact that he was immediately reminded of his height; a short 5 foot, 4 inch freshman. "Does size even matter when you're running?"

The boy with the jet-black hair cracked his ankle along the ground and casted a grim smile. "I'm gonna wipe the floor with you…"

"… Says the guy who has never raced me before…" Alvin replied sickeningly. "What makes you so sure you're gonna beat me?"

"Look at yourself, you pint-sized wannabe track star!" he blurted angrily. "I heard you talking to your friend; you're so cocky and full of it, I'm surprised you haven't made yourself look like a pathetic fool yet!"

The highest point of Alvin's anger was almost filled, he short fuse close to burning out and he held anything and everything back from punch the trash-talker dead in his throat, in his stomach, and maybe a swift kick in his manhood to finish the job. However, Alvin surprised even himself when he took every word thrown at him, and to keep his anger down, he gritted his teeth along one another, his jaw aching instantly. "It's called confidence, which everyone here knows you lack if you're gonna race your own teammate before the races even start!" he spat as he pointed a single finger towards the boy. "Pretty sad if you ask me; says a lot about your character, you attention-whore…"

"Listen," the boys exclaimed as he probed Alvin in his chest, "I'm not gonna stand here and be called that! I'll make you eat every single word down to the punctuation by the end of the day!"

When someone even gave Alvin the slightest poke, it was a sign to him that they wanted to fight. He lifted his hand, which was already in a tight fist… when he felt it; those two hands pressed at his shoulders and the gust of wind traveling past his ear, just like the unspoken incident at his mother's house. His blue eyes grew wide as he gazed up into the stand for the first time, seeing it had grew in size, and there, he spotted his mother, handing the girls a warm greeting and hugging Simon and Theodore to her fullest. At that, he brought his fist down to his side and turned away from the boy, looking down at the long black stretch of track sitting before him. Seeing his mother changed everything; how could he punch the guy he just met, already having his mother tell him how much he's matured? What would that look like if she saw her eldest son doing the very opposite of maturity? Alvin knew it would break her heart, so he stood his ground. Whoever or whatever it was at his shoulders, he knew it had stopped him from making a grave mistake.

In the stands of Westmont Admirals Stadium, Vinny made conversation with the teens before the race would begin. "So how's Alvin been doing?" she asked enthusiastically.

"Phenomenal, actually," Simon admitted to the others. "Every race he's done, he's won first place!"

"But the guy standing next to him on the track is pretty fast," Brittany countered. "But I know he can do it…" she spoke, her voice growing faint as her cheeks turned a bright red.

"Just think!" Eleanor exclaimed suddenly. "If Westmont wins first place, it'll be our first win in over twenty-five years!"

As the six conversed about the nerve-racking meet, just behind them sat the mischievous gentlemen who also found the meet to be full of worry and tension.

"Come on!" Darrel exclaimed under his breath, "When the hell are they gonna start this race?"

Craig scrunched his face at his impatient partner and nudged him in the side. "What's up with you? It's not like we have anything else to do!" he convinced the agitated Darrel.

Darrel almost couldn't believe his ears. With that coming from Craig, he knew that his forgetful partner had certainly disremembered their other set of plans. "What are you talking about? We do have other engagements to attend to; like, going overseas! I hope that rings a bell!"

Jack couldn't help but to chuckle at the twenty-something-year-olds as he sat back and crossed his arms tightly over his chest. "Always bickering, I see," he spoke to himself as he grabbed his shades from atop his bald head to drop them to his eyes. But the sudden and quick gaze he took of the crowd just before doing so made him freeze like a statue when he saw one audience member in particular. His gaze drifted down to the row in front him, and coming to an abrupt realization, he thundered an atrocious gasp, his grey eyes staring straight ahead.

Startling them with such a shocking noise, Darrel and Craig looked to their older partner with puzzled looks. "Jack, is everything okay?" Craig asked.

"Look," was all he could manage to whisper as he pointed a stiff and wrinkly finger in front of him. "Her… right there…"

Craig and Darrel followed his finger to find he was pointing to a specific group of people, and among that group was a green-eyed brunette, who like everyone else was looking down the track in anticipation for the 400 meter run to begin. The striking thing about this mysterious girl was her side-profile that immediately brought back memories for Jack; the strong jaw structure, the tiny lips, and the nose that curved upward was enough for the old-timer to make an assumption. "Dear God!" he exclaimed to the others. "Fellas, look at her!"

"Really Jack, we're trying to get this kid! What are you more focused on now?" Darrel couldn't help but to ask.

"Don't you see it?" Jack urged with tight fists. "I'm saving you guys the trips overseas when she's sitting right in front of us…" he took a long pause, his jaw dropping to his chest. "She's a dead ringer of Larson; right to the T."

"Our second assignment?" Craig asked with wide eyes. "Impossible."

"How?"

"Larson lived in Australia all his life, and the last we heard of him, he was still living there!" Craig retorted. "What would make him come here to America and have kids here?"

As the two argued back and forth for what seemed for hours, the female they had their eyes set on was none other than Jeanette as she carefully made her way through the thick crowd to make her way to the restroom, with the help of Simon, of course. Jack watched with wandering eyes and nodded vigorously. "Without a doubt, that's Larson's daughter…"

"How could you be so sure?"

"Larson was a close friend of mine who worked at TeCoven," Jack remembered instantaneously as if it were just yesterday. "His hair was wispy brown, his eyes were the greenest I've ever seen… that girl we just saw… a spitting image, a clone of him!" he tried to convince. It was then he saw the teen return to the stands, taking her designated seat.

In the midst of his excitement, Jack was caught in a daze, his fingers and toes growing numb by the second. The tingling sensation that began on the hairs of his neck made its descent down his spine and back up again. His mouth grew drenched with salivation before uttering an, "I need DNA…"

"What?" Darrel spat as he took the trembling Jack by his shoulder. "Are you crazy? You just can't ask for that!"

Deviousness developed in Jack's pupils, and Craig and Darrel knew he was thinking the absurd. "Who said I was gonna ask?" His rattling hand made its way for his shirt pocket and out he pulled barbershop scissors, flashing the silver pair to his partners. "It'll just be a little sample, I promise!" he attempted to persuade as he slowly reached for one of Jeanette's luscious curls falling down her back.

"Jack, think before you do that!" Craig urged as he pulled Jack by the back his shirt, practically tearing it from his body. "You can lose your job for invading someone's privacy; a job that you've had for over fifty years!"

"You don't get it, son!" Jack exclaimed he broke Craig's grasp away. "I knew Larson and Maxwell more than you'll ever know!"

In fact, Jack, Larson, and the mighty Maxwell were more than just mere employees they knew and saw every day; they were nearly brothers who were inseparable when it came to working at TeCoven. To narrow it down, TeCoven was their life and everything TeCoven stood for, they stood proudly for it as well. Jack knew the two more than his new partners could ever comprehend.

"They were amazing; they always got their assignments done right _and_ on time!" he blurted. "If these kids were truly a part of their bloodline, they would do the same… and you two know how desperately we need new generations… ever since-" he paused abruptly, the little knot in his throat growing to great sizes just to keep his weeping down. "I just need one curl…"

"Ladies and gentleman!" the announcer broadcasted over her microphone in the top room in the stands. "It has been great having such a wonderful crowd joining together to watch a mind-blowing event with such talented high school kids!"

In response, the crowd cheered about, and the announcer couldn't help but to laugh.

"Now, it's all come down to this finally race; the 400 meter!" She named off the boys and the school they attended with little cheers for them here and there when she finally got down the list. "And representing Westmont High School is our very own Alvin Seville!"

And it was natural for the cheering to be higher in volume for the young runner as he waved to the crowd, unknowingly flashing the audience the same look his grandfather had in his photograph; a cocky smile and eyes reading, 'I'm the damn best.'

"So," the announcer boomed. "Whenever the runners and officials are ready, let's begin!"

The once fervent crowd grew dramatically silent as the officials made their way to the track. A cloud of anxiety filled the air uncomfortably for the crowd and runners alike.

"On your mark," one official called.

The runners obeyed, and the noise of Alvin's own throbbing heart filled his ears, making it almost impossible for him to hear.

"Get ready…"

There was no more waiting around for Jack; it was the time. He had to have a curly. Just one. Poor Jeanette wouldn't see it coming, nor would the rest even notice, for their eyes and mind were set to the track. He raised a single hand followed by the scissors.

"Set…"

Alvin looked to the track and heaved a sigh. Just a sigh; nothing special to it. Just a sigh. "This is for you, Granddad…"

A loud shot rang through the skies above and in the ears of the audience and runners… and they were off down the track… Officially, History was in the making…


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Heavy beads of blood trickled down the trembling fingers of the once antsy elder, the barbershop scissors slipping from his grasp onto the bleachers below, leaving behind a deadly look of an attempt gone wrong. "Shit!" the heated Jack exclaimed as he gripped his hand tightly, his breathing shaky and unsettled from the rush of pain beating through his nipped fingers. His vain throbbed about in his temple, the blue monster's pulse beating to the rhythm of his racing heart. If only the overly excited Jeanette hadn't leapt from her seat in haste as the rest of the crowd had done so, Jack would not have missed part of her juicy curl and would not have clipped himself in the process.

"Jack, you alright?" the confused Darrel asked with wide brown eyes gazing down at the bleeding geezer.

Eyes grey as a crayon stared back at Darrel, snarling if you will. "Does it look like I'm okay?" he asked furiously as he let out a cry of anguish; it wasn't like anyone would notice his cries, for they were cheering on the runners, their undivided attention to the track. "Never mind me, though. Please inform me; whose winning?" he asked through thick breaths.

The filling of dread instantly swept over Jack's partner as he replied with, "not Maxwell's bloodline. He's in third as of now and the race is damn-near over!"

"He'll make it," Craig suddenly announced to the two before standing to the balls of his feet. "He'll make it."

Now, if you thought the tension was regaining itself in the stands, then it's best that we direct our attention to the track practically lined with fire, where Alvin was indeed in third, and the trash-talker coming up in first. Now that's what you call tension. Tears began a quick buildup in Alvin's eyes once more that day; all out of pain and frustration. It killed him inside to even consider that the trash-talker may have been right; Alvin was just a mere wannabe track star that was in over his boastful head, and at the point, he was starting to get used to the name; yet he ran. He refused to go down without his last fight being fought. So with half the track passing behind the six runners, Alvin began his dig. Just when he thought the energy had wasted away, he dug deeper within.

"Oh dear," his worried mother groaned as she watched on with wide eyes, her top front teeth excavating their way into her white knuckles. "Gosh, I-I-I haven't been this nervous since _my_ track meet!"

"Don't worry about him, Mom!" Theodore assured as he watched the track closely. "Alvin has this in the bag!"

"I really hope so…"

At that point, Alvin no longer ran on the balls of his feet, but his tip-toes, his stride stretched to great lengths. In his peripheral, he saw it; he was on the verge of passing another competitive runner, putting him at the edge of second place. Confidence began rising within him. His ankle grew sore with each stride, his heart felt as though it were going to pound straight through his chest, his entire body sweating bullets. He looked up from his feet and up to the track, the trash-talker just a reach away. Alvin's taste buds were lining themselves with that rich taste of victory.

"Jack, you have to see this!" Craig cheered as he took the injured man by his shoulder. "This kid's buckin' it!"

With a trembling voice, he replied with, "of course; this is Maxwell's grandson we're talking about; if Maxwell could do it, then this Alvin kid can do it too…" His bleeding hand slowly reached between his legs to the bleacher floor, and with his thumb and index finger, he retrieved a piece of hair he managed to clip away along with his fingers, a hesitant grin slipping its way upon his face.

Faster and faster the runners ran, their heart's pounding through their chest, their bodies beginning to ache, but for Alvin, nothing was going to stop him from pressing on. He looked to the right of him to see the he and the trash-talker was too close to call. The two were finally neck and neck, the race no longer pertaining to the other runners, for all eyes were set and stone on the fastest runners on the track. The crowd grew louder and feistier with each passing second as the boys ran for the gold.

"This might be it," Jack mumbled under his breath as he slipped his uninjured hand into his shirt, pulling out a clean, plastic baggy, placing the brown piece of DNA inside, and putting it back within his shirt. "You're not going anywhere," he mumbled under his shaky breath, his grey eyes directed back to the heated track.

The pit of his lungs began to burn, the sweat dripped down the sides of his face, but the trooper continued on. Up ahead, the finish line laid painted upon the track, Alvin's field of vision narrowing in on his target. Closer and closer he came, his eyes building up with tears once more. The trash talker was inches away in front, putting hopelessness into Alvin's heart. His friends and brothers cheered, his mother's cheers being the loudest. He was too far into the race to simply give up, but he battled to keep his legs moving. Droplets of sweat streamed down his reddened cheeks, his hands wrapped into tight fists, his fingernails digging into the palms of his hands.

"You're not getting the best of me," a sudden voice flowed through his ears. He looked to right of him to see the trash talker casting him the grimmest of all expressions, his eyes narrowed tight. "You're not getting the best of me… no one gets the best of me!"

All Alvin could was smile ever so casually, the red tint in his face gradually disappearing. "Well," he began through a fit of chuckles. "so to disappoint you, but this is my time to shine…"

Craig and his partners, along with the rest of the crowd, stood to the tips of their toes, no able to guess who the winner could possibly be. Alvin's poor mother bit her lip to the point of bleeding, her cheering caught in the depths of her throat, her eyes wider than ever.

The finish line was literally arm's length away, and the trash talker and Alvin both dove for the precious white line, having only a photo finish tell the true winner.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

"And so ends another track meet…" Simon spoke aloud to his brother before sitting upon his blue comforters that spread across his bed. "You seem more pleased than the last one, Alvin."

With the gleaming medal of gold resting on his chest, the proud teenager fell to his bed and heaved a sigh, the weight of the meet lifted from his shoulders. "Well, of course I'm happy!" he exclaimed with a wide smile plastered on his face. "After twenty-something years, Westmont wins first place, and _I_ have the medal to prove it!" With each glance he took at the medal dangling from the red, white, and blue ribbon, he felt superior to the rest of the runners, his smile growing wider, and his muscles growing weary. "I thought I wouldn't be able to beat the guy from Jewel…"

"But you did," Simon replied with a smile. "You should have seen Mom!" he mentioned suddenly. "She cried her eyes out…"

Hearing this, Alvin shot his blue-eyed gaze to Simon in confusion, his eyes narrowing tight. "She cried?" he asked in disbelief. "Why?"

All Simon could do was shrug. "If you ask me, I'd say she was proud of you; I mean, she knew how much you wanted to win, and actually seeing you defeat all of those runners, I would assume she was honored!"

Alvin's head fell back to the pillow as he looked to the white ceiling above, chuckling under his breath. "Si, you wouldn't believe the things she told me this afternoon."

Simon rolled his eyes and chuckled along. "Like what; twenty-something years ago,_ she_ was the one that brought home the gold for Westmont?" His chuckling soon turned into hardy laughter, however, for Alvin's case, his chuckles subsided into silence, his eyes wide.

"Dude, that's exactly what she told me…" he replied in a hushed whisper.

"No way," Simon replied, a stern look gradually appearing on his face.

Alvin kicked his feet over the side of the bed and locked gazes with his brother, who was obviously stuck in the stage of disbelief, but Alvin was determined to change Simon's mind. "I love track just as much as Mom loved it!" he spat. "She never got anything lower than second place when she raced, and it was twenty-five years ago when Mom and three other people ran the relay for Westmont and won first place!"

Simon then stroked his chin in curiosity and let a single huff escape his lips. "How come she has never told us before?"

"We never been curious enough, I guess," Alvin took a stab in the dark. He shrugged it off and kicked off his cleats underneath the bed and stretched his shoulders. "You know, it's only six o'clock," he suddenly brought up, "what are you gonna be up to?"

Simon shrugged before falling back to his pillow, his hands tucked behind his head. "Jeanette wanted me to go and check out the honor's night our school offered a couple of weeks ago."

All Alvin could do was scoff as his face crumpled in displeasure. "Really; on a Friday night?" he asked in disbelief. "Well, I guess nerds have to do something too, right?"

Simon rolled his eyes and shook his head about before rising in his spot and heading for the bedroom door. "And what are your plans?" he asked slickly.

The victorious Alvin heaved a heavy yawn and carefully slipped the medal over his head, settling it delicately on the nightstand. "I'm exhausted! My head's hitting the pillow!"

Simon chuckled. "Yeah, and _I_ have nothing to do…" and with that, he exited the room, leaving Alvin chuckling about.

~7~7~7~7~

"In your face, you young bastards!" the geezer cheered as he happily clicked his heals together, making a circle around his partners who were once skeptical about the race. All they could do was watch in disbelief as Jack enjoyed his gloating. As the men stood outside the track field as audience members exited, people couldn't help but to watch and stare at the strange display of a man suffering from arthritis jumping around as if her were a hyperactive child escaping confinement of the time-out corner. "This kid succeeded in winning the race, which proves my point! He's apart of Maxwell's everlasting bloodline!"

"Hey," Darrell quickly called above his cheering, "If it weren't for my research, you guys would've never found this boy!" He crossed his arms across his chest and glared sharply at Jack, who had a slap-happy smile smeared across his face. "My research brought us here, Jack! You denied it!"

Jack scoffed and uttered a, "So? _But_… seeing him race tonight is not our only proof, sadly," he reported to the men.

"DNA," Craig replied with wide eyes. "Without stone-cold proof, we're just picking and choosing out the mystery box! This case is inconclusive!"

"And," Jack began as he went into his shirt pocket to retrieve the brown piece of hair concealed in a plastic baggy. "We have more DNA to worry about."

"Jack, I highly doubt that that little girl's Larson's daughter!" Darrell spat with haste. "I mean, think of the possibilities! How likely it is that she's here and not in Australia right now? Research shows that she has no intermediate family in America."

All Jack could do was shake his head, his nostrils flaring in frustration. "I know more than you guys will _ever_ know…" his hissed coldly. "Go ahead, you don't have to trust me, but we need more generations desperately and these two can be that missing piece we have always been looking for…" he paused accompanied with a heavy sigh. He went into his shirt pocket, pulled out rolled-up pieces of paper and began to rifle through them one by one until he found one in particular with information that was crucial for the second assignment. At that top of the page next to _Name:_ was J. Larson and a basic description: brown hair, green eyes, followed by a more vivid description underneath. "There's no picture of her, but in my heart, I can feel it's her," he gazed up from his reading and glanced at his partners, who were once again doubtful with the looks of it plastered on their faces. "It even says here that she would be in this general area, and that-"

"Jack," Craig began in a whisper before taking him by the shoulder, "We'll try, alright? Let's just get this Alvin kid tonight and find her later. How's that sound?"

The elderly man snatched his shoulder away from the affectionate grasp and snarled. "It sounds as though you guys think I'm crazy," he replied, his gray eyes turning dim. "I'm not… I'm just more confident about the girl than the boy… We need DNA from him… We need DNA from her… we need DNA from the both of them…" He heaved a monstrous sigh and skimmed over the specific piece of paper once more. "She's a 'Brains'," he quickly mentioned, eyeing his partners closely.

All Darrell could do was shrug his broad shoulders and replied with, "then she has to be intelligent… And after what we saw today, that Alvin kid's a 'Brawns'."

"Right, but where the hell are we gonna find those two?" Jack abruptly spoke. "They're teenagers for Christ's sakes! They can be anywhere, hanging out with their friends at the movies, or maybe even the mall!"

With confusion plastered on his face, the dumbfounded Craig slowly raised his hand as if asking a question in school. "'Brawns and Brains'?

Jack gestured a nod. "She's listed as a 'Brains', just like her father," he informed the rooky. "Each generation is listed according to how their past generation performed. Her father was a 'Brains', meaning he had the right means of intelligence, and in Alvin's case, his grandfather was listed as a "Brawns', meaning he was physically fit."

"And as we saw on the track, so is Alvin…" Darrell threw in.

"Therefore, we must think as if were a brainy teenager!" Jack exclaimed as he pointed a mere finger in the air. "If I were one of the smartest teenagers to attend this school… where would I be?" he questioned himself as he took a look at his surroundings. It was then that his eyes slowly drifted to the enormous high school that lay across the street with almost every street light beaming upon it. Outside of the brightly lit school stood a flamboyant sign reading, 'Honor's Night! All Students are Welcome!' plastered across the white banner written in the school's colors. It all seemed too simple for Jack, but why shouldn't he give it a try? "Aye boys… check that out," he spoke as he pointed across the street.

They glanced over as directed and immediately caught sight of the overload sign whipping in the breeze. "You think she'll be there?" Craig asked quickly.

"It's a weird thought, I know… but it won't hurt to give it a shot…"

With a sudden haste, Darrell whipped out his notepad and pen and began to scribble down any notes he thought would be of extreme importance. Possible location of female target, check; DNA from female target, checked as well. "Wait!" he blurted as he gazed up from his poor handwriting. "This is all fine and dandy, but what about Maxwell's bloodline? There's no DNA! How the hell are we getting this DNA of his?"

People continued to pour out of the track field bleachers in groups, and among that group, Alvin's dearest friend, Prescott frantically walked passed with a red sweatshirt lopped over his shoulder. He ruffled his blonde hair and sighed heavily.

"Hey Pres, what's up," a boy from their team greeted as he made his way over to the frantic boy.

Prescott scoffed and rolled his eyes. "Alvin told me that he'll be back to pick up his sweatshirt, and he's not back yet! I've been waiting for twenty minutes for him!" he spat as he unraveled the apparel from his shoulder.

Just as suddenly as the conversation was brought up, Craig glanced at the boys and smirked broadly. He waltzed his way over to the group as they continued to talk;

Prescott and his friend chuckled aloud as he held out the sweatshirt in front of him. "This thing reeks of his sweat!" he blurted before pressing his nose against it, only to have him quickly pull it away, his face twisted in disgust. "Have you seen him?" he asked the boy.

"Dude, he left a while ago!" he replied with a chuckle.

"Great," Prescott replied sarcastically. "Just fabulous…"

Upon hearing this information, Craig looked over his should to his partners and eyed them tentatively. "That's his sweatshirt, guys," he mumbled to them. "He was wearing it before the track meet started! This means it has sweat, which carries DNA!"

Darrell frowned and sighed. "How are we getting it?"

The men were caught in a terribly awkward position; of course they couldn't walk up to a pair of teenagers and ask for a sweatshirt to return into it to its rightful owner. Or were the boys just that naïve? There was no harming in trying, Craig thought.

"Hold on!" the uneasy Darrel spat once again, startling his partners.

"Damn it, Darrel, what the hell is wrong now?" Jack questioned roughly, his eyes narrowed tight.

Darrel snarled as he adjusted his shirt upon his shoulders before beginning with, "Yeah, this kid has Alvin's sweatshirt, and yeah, it may have his DNA, but for all we know, this kid might have his DNA mixed in with Alvin's!"

With exasperated looks plastered on their face, Jack and Craig slumped where they stood, finding that Darrel was completely correct. "So, how the hell are we getting this DNA?"

"Let's not worry about him right now!" Jack suggested as he stormed away, making his way towards the high school. "Come on! We're checking out this honor's night to see if we can find this brunette!"

~7~7~7~7~

"Simon, you came!" the smiling green-eyed Jeanette exclaimed as she closed the front door to her abode behind as she stepped out onto the cool night.

"Once you told me about the honor's night, I couldn't say no!" he replied with the widest smile plastered on his face. He adjusted his glasses to the bridge of his nose and chuckled. "Can you elaborate on this honor's night you've been so excited to take me too?"

Jeanette sighed heavily before releasing her hair from its bun, letting it flow down her back. "Well, you see, it's similar to night school, but these classes broaden your mind of every subject possible! You'll learn things you thought you already knew! It's fantastic, and I just know you would want to come with me!"

"I can't turn down an opportunity like this! That's sounds great!"

With that, the two made their way down the brightly lit street to the high school, unknowingly having unexpected visitors waiting for them there.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

The night's stars glimmered about in the sky as the busy city had yet to sleep. Just on the outskirts of town lied the high school, and three eager grown men making their way to it. The oldest of the men, Jack, jogged his way over across the street, disregarding the cars that almost plowed him over.

"Jack, get your old ass back over here!" one of his younger partners, Craig exclaimed as he let several cars dive pass before he could cross the street.

The enthusiastic elder stopped on the other side of the street and snarled. He had just about enough of his partners, and at that point, he wanted to do what he thought was best, despite that fact that everything could be ruined if they didn't follow specific orders. "Go to hell!" he shouted as he continued his way to the high school.

His partners, Craig and Darrel exchanged glances, rolled their eyes exasperatedly and crossed the street with ease to catch up to their older partner.

"TeCoven needs new generations!" he snarled, not bothering to face the other men. "You guys can sit back and do it the 'right' way all you want! As for me, I'm getting this girl _tonight_! I want her so badly!"

"Listen to yourself Jack!" Darrel blurted as he caught the old man by his broad shoulders. "You sound like a pedophile right now!"

With that thought, Jack suddenly blushed as he recomposed himself, his entire face red with embarrassment. He knew he could get outrageous when it came to finding new generations, but seeming like a pedophile? Just wrong, he thought. "Well, I'm just excited, that's all!" he retorted with wide eyes. "I just want to see what this girl has in store for us! It does _not_ classify me as a pedophile!"

"We know that," Craig replied nonchalantly. "And we're excited too… we just don't want to throw our hope away like that, that's all…"

Jack casually cleared his throat and began to walk his way towards the high school, verses running like a maniac. "Well guys… we better make our way in their before we look too awkward to even enter!"

"Too late…" Darrel mumbled under his breath, which soon had Craig rolling with laughter.

~7~7~7~7~

The eager teenagers quickly took a seat in one of many sits in the auditorium. Surprisingly, the turnout of the event was great; many students attended, which Jeanette hadn't really anticipated.

"Wow, I didn't know so many people would come!" she exclaimed as her green eyes examined the area from student to student.

"I wasn't expecting as much either…" Simon had to admit as he too began to gaze around.

Arriving unnoticed, as planned, Craig, Darrel, and the overactive Jack entered through the double doors, looking for their newest target. Jack nonchalantly skimmed the rows of chairs as he walked up and down each isle, his breathing deep with irritation. "I was so sure she would be here," he mumbled under his breath.

For once in his career, had Jack collected a wrong notion? Could he have had been… wrong? He didn't like the idea of being wrong, for when he was chosen to join TeCoven, his notions were on point, and 99% of the time, they were absolutely correct. Could it be that he was losing his touch?

Jack held back a whimper, his eyes swelling with tears. "I was damn confident that she would be here…" he mumbled once more. "I need to find her… Larson will forgive me if I do…"

"Anything yet?" Craig called from behind as he slowly made his way to Jack's side.

"Nope. Not a thing. I just knew… but… I-I-I guess I didn't…"

With a sigh that read defeat, Jack, slumped over his own body, gathered up the dignity he still carried and headed for the double doors. "Let's just go get this Alvin boy, I guess…" he spat irritably.

In the back of his mind, he knew he wouldn't forgive himself for giving up so willingly. So, before exiting the auditorium, he took one final skim of the place, and suddenly, those green eyes… those soft, glowing green eyes captured his gaze… then swiftly looked off, his eyes wide at the sudden event. He gasped as he closed to the door back, his limbs trembling with euphoria.

"Fellas…" he began as he pointed a shaky finger straight ahead from the group. "I-I-It's… her…"

"What, you found her?" Darrel asked with a cocked eyebrow.

Jack licked his lips hungrily as he heaved the heaviest of breaths, his chest deflating instantly. "It's her! Craig, go find us a seat as close as possible without blowing our cover! Darrel, jot these notes down! We got her… we have definitely got her…"

~7~7~7~7~

"I wonder when this will start," Simon began impatiently. "I'm actually pretty eager to see what's in store!"

Jeanette giggled to her heart's content. "I knew you would like this, Si! I'm glad you came along tonight!"

Simon smirked as he fell back into his seat. "Anything for my best friend, Jean, and you know that."

Instantly, Jeanette blushed at Simon's sweet-sounding words. The moment soon passed as Simon's cell phone began to ring at his hip.

"Hello?" he answered with confusion evident in his voice.

"Really? Why do you sound like you have no idea who I am?" the voice replied playfully.

"I expected you to still be sleeping," Simon replied with a single chuckle.

Alvin weary propped himself up in bed as he ruffled his tangled hair, stretching his limbs as he slowly stood to his feet. "I know, but I just woke up not too long ago. Where the hell are you anyway? You've been gone for quite a while!"

Hearing this through the receiver, Jeanette bit her lip in nervousness. Gently, she asked Simon for his cell phone, her face fixed in uneasiness. "Hey, it's Jean. Sorry Alvin, I kinda stole your brother for the night!"

Alvin couldn't help but to chuckle at the sound of Jeanette's tender-sounding voice. "Jeanette, it's totally fine!" he assured as he slipped on a pair of jeans he scooped from his bedroom floor. "But I hope you know that you stole my ATM for the night! Now I can't order pizza!"

Jeanette expressed a sigh, but she couldn't hold back her sweet laughter. "Don't worry; I'll make it up to you somehow!"

"Don't sweat it!"

"Oh, and congratulations on the track meet today! You did an amazing job!"

"Thanks Jeanette!"

Jeanette smiled broadly as she handed the phone back to Simon. "There's money in my top dresser. Just pay me back ASAP."

"You take IOU's?"

"Not a chance…"

Alvin rolled his eyes and slipped on a discarded shirt that laid tasseled on the edge of his bed. "Okay, all right. I'll pay you back as soon as I can. Just hurry home!"

Sitting two rows behind the teens, Craig ogled over the brunette and could only think, _"What is so special about her…?"_

He listened with high attention to the conversation the blue-clad teen had over his cell phone.

"Okay Alvin! Don't get so worked up. I'll be home before you know it!"

Alvin. Alvin… Alvin! Craig's eyes widened at the name that ran through his ears. Could this boy be talking to the men's previous target? He listened on…

"Alvin, save some pizza for a Jean and I," he replied as he gave Jeanette a sly wink.

"In your dreams! I'm eating the entire box the minute it gets here!" he retorted with a scoff. "I'm starving right now! By the way," he began suddenly, "do you and Jeanette need a ride when that nerd fest is over with?"

"For one, it's not a nerd fest," Simon bluntly replied. "Two, it'll be fine. I mean, we live right around the corner!"

"If you insist…"

"Well, I better get off the phone, Alvin. The classes are due to start any minute now!"

The brothers spoke a little afterwards, and it wasn't long before Simon ended the call and shoved his phone back into his pocket. "If I didn't know any better," Simon began as he adjusted his sitting, "I would say Alvin was trying to be my parent!"

At the fact, Jeanette uttered a fit of giggles, her eyes twinkling in the auditorium's dim light.

For Craig, he figured he had heard enough, so he sat his stack of papers upon his seat and went to disclose his information to his partners. "Hey Jack," he called under his breath as he drew nearer to the elderly man who stood just beside the double doors. "I think that Alvin kid is around here somewhere!"

Jack perked his ears and gazed at his partner thoughtfully. "Here? In this auditorium? Right now?"

"No," Craig replied as he casted his gaze to the two teens occupying their seats. "What I mean is they live in this general area! That kid down there just got off the phone with this Alvin dude, I believe!" he spat, half-way full of assurance. "He said they're walking home after this, so they can't live too far away! I have a hunch that… they're brothers…"

"It seems like it, doesn't it?"

Overhearing the conversation, Darrel looked up from his notes and narrowed his eyes. "So, what do you two insist on what we should do?"

Jack huffed under his breath, carrying himself deep in thought. There was so much to do, but he figured it should be done in an orderly and somewhat timely fashion. After a minute or so, he came to a sudden conclusion. "Here's what we'll do…" he paused as he took his pen from behind his ear, and pointed in the direction of the teens. "We'll stay here, and monitor her until the two of them decide to leave for home. Then, we'll follow them back, and-"

"Follow?" Craig cringed as he repeated the dreadful word. "How do you insist we follow them? Hopefully, not by riding in that creepy van of ours!"

"But what other choice do we have?" Jack spat monstrously, his frustration beginning to take over. "Once we retrieve these kids, we have to put them in our van a take them back to TeCoven!"

"That sounds fine and dandy," Darrel replied with thick sarcasm. "But I would _not_ like to be registered as a sex offender for following teenagers… at night… in a creep machine!"

"Darrel and I can handle this Alvin kid," Craig suggested abruptly. "When we have him, we'll take him back to TeCoven. I'm damn-near positive you'll have a way back with the brunette, right Jack?"

With a hefty smile appearing on his wrinkled face, Jack uttered a nod. "I have my ways. So… is this plan good for everyone?"

Darrel and Craig exchanged stiff stares, and after some time… they agreed.

"Hello everyone!" a light voice boomed through the speakers raised to the ceiling of the auditorium. "I would love to welcome you all to Westmont's first annual Honor's Night!"

"Well gentlemen…" Jack spoke slyly as he made his way to his seat with his partners following close behind. "Let the games begin…"


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

30 minutes into the class had gone by, and already, the grey-eyed Jack sat slumped over in his seat, drowsiness getting the best of him. Salivation dripped down his bearded chin as the instructor wrote down math equations that seemed like gibberish to Craig and Darrell as they watched on, dumbfounded.

"Wow, it's been a while since school, huh D?" Craig mumbled under his breath to his confused partner.

"I guess so! But it looks like these kids know exactly what this teacher's talking about!"

Two rows ahead of the trio, Jeanette shifted in her seat, uneasiness looming over her dreadfully as the instructor taught the teens how to find the area of a dodecagon.

"Now, if you want to look at it this way," the red-head freckled-face instructor boomed through his microphone as he scribbled down notes and suggestions upon the whiteboard that was projected for every soul to see, "the apothem can also be seen as the radius, as well as the hypotenuse! So instead of going through the trouble of doing the Pythagorean Theorem, the answer will already be given to you!"

Jeanette snarled at his distasteful words as well as Simon, who cringed at the man's lack of knowledge. It seemed as though these two were the only people in the entire stadium who knew this guy knew little to nothing about AP Geometry and Calculus, which Jeanette and Simon had the privilege to take in sixth grade.

"This guy cannot be serious," she whispered to Simon as she crossed her arms tightly over her chest. "This is terribly incorrect!"

"Tell me about it," he whispered back as he adjusted his glasses to the bridge of his nose.

Jeanette heaved a sigh with deep disappointment as she glanced at Simon with apologetic eyes. "Simon, I should've looked more into this so-called Honor's Night. I'm sorry I wasted your time."

Simon scoffed as he dismissed the failed night classes with a single swat of his hand. "There's nothing to be sorry about! I'd rather be here than sitting at home watching Alvin scarf down an entire pizza!"

Jeanette's cheeks blushed deeply, turning a rosy red as she emitted a soft giggle. "Oh well. But someone _really_ should go up there and explain it to everyone the right way…"

With that said, Simon seconded the idea and grabbed for Jeanette's hand. "Why don't you go up there? I'm sure everyone will love you!"

In that instant, Jeanette could feel her body shrink to the size of an atom as she modestly declined Simon's offer. Obviously, Jeanette had a vast knowledge for Math and Science; however, she never saw herself as the one to teach a group of people; she had little to no speech etiquette, and when she would be put on the spot, her sweat glands would overflow. "S-s-simon," she stuttered as she began to tremble where she sat. "I-I-I can't get up in front of all these people! I'm too shy!"

"Jean," Simon began in his most convincing voice possible. "You and I know this guy isn't teaching us…" he frowned suddenly, hoping to find a strong word choice for this situation. "How would Alvin say it? 'Shit'…"

"But I-"

"Jeanette!" Simon spat with a wide smile. "Do us _all_ a favor and get up there and show us what you're made of!"

With his final argument fought, Jeanette slowly began to take his words into consideration. _"This could help out my self-esteem,"_ she thought hopefully, finding that her hand slowly began to rise from her lap, and before she could even think to put it down, the instructor caught sight of it, stopping his lecture and pointing in her general direction.

"Yes? You in the back?" he called as he gestured a finger.

All bodies in the auditorium directed their attention to the trembling teen, the corner of her lower lip bit anxiously. This, without a doubt, caught the attention of the drowsy Jack, whose eyes bucked from his skull, his mouth slightly dropped in anticipation, awaiting Jeanette's next words.

"Well…" Jeanette managed to start off as she maneuvered her way through the aisles of people and empty chairs. "I'm afraid your teachings are very… well, they're pretty off!" she admitted with somewhat hesitation as she pulled herself onto the stage. With caution, she grabbed the Expo marker from the instructor and cleared her throat before continuing. The students listened with full attention, while in Jack's case, his attention was practically undividable. In the students' case, it wasn't on a daily bases that they heard the shiest girl in school confront the instructor of a major flaw in his teachings.

"F-f-first of all," she stumbled as she took the red marker and drew a heart-wrenching 'X' through the instructor's failing equations. "This entire problem is wrong, starting with step one…" she informed wearily.

"My God," the fervent Jack exclaimed in a hushed whisper as he turned to his partners. "This might be it…"

"You see?" the scrawny brunette continued as she erased the previous notes. "Apothems _do not_ equal radiuses; s-s-simply because a radius is also a hypotenuse."

At this point, Jeanette only hoped she may be getting somewhere with her explanation.

With her extremely attractive penmanship, she sketched out a dodecagon and re-explained the lesson to the more attentive students.

"The line opposite from the 90 degree angle of a right triangle I drew here in the polygon is the hypotenuse, aka, the radius of the dodecagon."

For the most part, the instructor himself was beyond fascinated by Jeanette's familiarity with the subject, and he too, watched with full interest.

"Therefore," she concluded before handing the marker back to the instructor, "the hypotenuse _must_ be the longest piece of the imaginary triangle if you are trying to find area of a regular polygon! It's _impossible_ for the apothem and hypotenuse/radius to ever equal the same amount!"

From his seat, Simon watched on with a slick smile across his face, his blue eyes twinkling with admiration. "I knew she could do it…"

However, the sudden turn of events following Jeanette's correction shocked the entire room, even the skeptical Simon, and especially Jack, which brought heavy beads of tears rolling down his wrinkled face.

With a single glance at the board, and an awkward stare off into space, Jeanette piped in, "And by the way, the area is 108.954m sq. if you were wondering…"

The majority of the students pulled out their calculators and followed the steps written upon the board, hoping to prove the green-eyed teen wrong. Not a single soul could verify the answer wrong… she was completely correct.

The room grew rowdy with mumbles and murmurs, all occupants stunned to know that the quietest sophomore in school answered the problem with a single glance.

And it was all enough for Jack to come to a conclusion. "Gentlemen… get me the DNA scanner…"

~7~7~7~7~

"A-a-and the way you merely looked at the board and answered the questions correctly like that? Astonishing…" the blue-attired admirer beamed as he and Jeanette strolled down the dim-lit street shortly after the class had ended, considering the fact that the instructor left the auditorium, embarrassment coating him terribly as he left in a rush. Being out-smarted by a fifteen-year-old was not something an adult would necessarily be proud of.

"Oh Simon, it was nothing!" Jeanette replied humbly as she clasped her hands together.

"Nothing? That was _everything_! That was incredible!"

~7~7~7~7~

"That was incredible…" Jack persisted to explain to his partners as they jogged their way to their grey van parked in the school's parking lot in the back deserted corner. "I only knew one person to solve an equation at a single glance like that, and that was-"

"Larson, we know!" Craig blurted irritably as he soon came upon the van and unlocked its back door. Upon doing so, he reached in and retrieved a laptop equipped with a scanner the size of his palm. "You've been mentioning this Larson cat all day!"

"Just load that scanner so I can slip this girl's hair in!" he ordered sharply as he yanked out a plastic baggy containing Jeanette's curl.

"Jack," Darrel called softly, a look of concern upon his face. "No assignment has ever been this important to you. What makes these two so special where you _need_ to get them?"

For several years, Jack has kept his secret under wraps from his new partners… and that's how he intended to keep things for as long as he could. "Darrell, you'll never understand…" he began with a light breath, taking his emotions and tucking them away in the pit of his throat. "And… you wouldn't look at me the same if I told you…"

The thick cloud of silence loomed over the men, and as if almost on cue, the DNA scanner shone a luminous purple in the men's faces. Light purple graph lines flashed as the hand-held device warmed after long storage.

"This has to be the best device TeCoven has to offer," Jack complimented as he settled the thick curl upon the smooth surface. "In a matter of seconds of scanning any DNA imaginable, it'll tell you if a certain person has had a generation at TeCoven."

"In this case," Craig began for clarification. "This… what's her name? Jessica?"

"We must see if _Jeanette_ is Larson's daughter or not!" Jack corrected bitterly as he paced the rocky concrete parking lot, his steps aching with anticipation for the good. "However, I'm _pretty_ positive it's her…"

The DNA scanner, equipped with an automated voice, welcomed the men with its hardy English accent. "Hello and thank you for utilizing TeCoven's P12 v.5.m Deoxyribonucleic acid scanner."

"P12?" Darrell whispered softly, his low voice heavy with disbelief. "Any technology TeCoven has that's P12 is automatically the best to use! Not to mention this is v.5.m? There's no possible way this scanner can mess up!"

"Very true," Craig piped in," But Jack?" he hesitated to call to his older partner. "I know you have information on this Jeanette girl in your manila folder and _possible_ features, but… how do you know her name so… instantly. We only started this case a few hours ago?"

"Is that important?" Jack spat through gritted teeth.

Jack had to admit, the question caught him off guard, yet he kept his composure sturdy and well. "So what's going on with the scanner? Has it loaded?"

Having his question completely disregarded, Craig snarled and rolled his eyes. He knew he should've expected _that_ much from Jack, so he let it roll of his shoulder as he gazed down with squinted eyes, shielding them from the device's intense light. "It's still scanning," he informed with a heavy sigh.

The device's cover closed upon the curl and scanned the fragment from end to end, follicle to follicle.

A touchscreen that settled just above the graph flashed through hundreds of pictures of former within seconds, attempting to match the DNA with a past TeCovener, Jack referred them to as. Several photos were eliminated from the sequence each second, the search that would prove Jack's hypothesis correct… or purely false.

Numerous green-eyed ancestors flashed upon the screen, and Jack immediately recognized one to be an older picture of his earlier partner, Larson.

"There he is," Jack pointed out with ease. "I remember taking this photo of him. It was his sixteenth birthday when we brought him to TeCoven."

Similar to a mug shot, the wispy-haired teenage boy pictured stared blankly into the lenses, his face scarred from the previous struggle…

_"Get the hell off of me!" the tall and scrawny boy screamed forcefully as flailed his limbs about, kicking and scratching the much older man that pinned his wrist to the cobble-stoned road._

_ From behind the bustle, a red-head teen shrieked as another man pulled her away from the scene, hoping to gather her away from the horrific sight. "What are you doing with James? Leave my James alone!" she spat as she too struggled to snatch out of the other man's constricting hold._

_ The man that held the red-head close to him smirked and chuckled heavily. "Darling… I'm George… George Maxwell," the short, yet robust man introduced as he rested a cold hand upon the red-head's bare shoulder, making her shudder where she stood, "and I can assure you that where James is going tonight, he'll be just fine… I promise…"_

_ In an awkward sense, the red-head found somewhat comfort in the stranger's assuring words as she attempted to control her whimpers. It was almost as if she trusted her closest friend with a suppressing secret she would never dare tell anyone else. She gazed into the star-filled sky, and wondered how such a complete stranger could have that immediate power over her._

_ "W-w-where are you taking him? Will he be okay?" she stammered terribly, her lips quivering as she locked gazes with her love sprawled on the ground._

_ "Angie," the distraught boy called as the older man picked him up from the ground by the collar of his shirt, slipping on a pair of handcuffs in the process, "I'll be fine," he guaranteed as he forced a smile upon his face as blood trickled down the sides. "Okay baby?"_

_ His green eyes pleaded for her to not shed a single tear, but she dropped to her knees in front of her love and caressed him in a lung-crushing hug, balling her eyes out, the pressure turning them bloodshot. "Oh James! Please don't take my James!" she begged anxiously, her body quaking and convulsing here and there._

_ "That's not your choice," the short, robust man countered as he once again took hold of her tiny shoulder._

_ "Angela!" the thin and fearless boy, James Larson called above his girlfriend's cries, hushing her immediately. "I'll be fine, baby! You have to take my word!"_

_ "Do __**you**__ know if you'll be fine?"_

_ James kept his gaze constant with Angela's, his lip bit out of uncertainty. In all honesty, he doubted that he would be alive to say he loved her again. "I'll be fine," he assured as the two men dragged him away, his Chuck-Taylors kicking up pebbles from the cobble-stone._

_ "What about your parents, James?" Angela yelped as she followed the men towards the greyish-blue van parked alongside the street. "What do you want me to say?"_

_ "I've ran away!" James responded hesitantly. "I've ran away, a-a-and you don't know when I'll be back!"_

_ "You can't do this!" the fired red-head exclaimed with force. "I'm gonna find a payphone, and I __**will**__ contact the police!"_

_ A taller man of the same hair color who kept James apprehended on the ground smiled grimly as he dug into his pocket to pull out a tiny, navy-blue-colored capsule, fondling the pill in his fingers. "Oh, my sweet child, that won't be necessary… and we can't let you do that…"_

_ "What are you going to do to her?" James frantically called as he sprung to his feet out of the van's backseat. "Don't lay a finger on her!"_

_ Stunned by the sudden realization, Angela turned on her heels to make a run for the police station, but clumsily tripped, landing straight on her back. Even during these horrific seconds, she couldn't push her clumsiness aside._

_ He swiped, and caught the girl by her arm before she could scramble away, his edgy fingernails digging into her skin. On penetration, she wailed, tears lining the edges of her eyelids. With her mouth agape, the man slipped in the pill and let her lay to the ground as she sat confused, her hazel eyes wide with terror._

_ "What's gonna happen to her?" James screamed fitfully as he knelt down next to her in the dusty road._

_ "It's a TeCoven sleeping pill," the red-head man assured as he grabbed James by the chains of his cuffs and hauled him towards the van. "Nothing drastic will occur, she'll just drift, and she'll awake like normal…"_

_ "TeCoven?" James spat, dumbfounded, the men noticed. "What's TeCoven?"_

_ "You'll see, my fine young man…"_

_ Where she sat, Angela bobbed back and forth, her eyes rolling in any direction. "James… I-I-I don't feel too good. Where are we?"_

_ "Baby, you'll be okay. Now remember what I told you to say to my parents, all right?" he requested, fighting back heart-wrenching tears. "I love you…"_

_ "I love you too, James…"_

_ The teenage lovers exchanged a passionate kiss upon the lips before she collapsed to the ground, her hair fanning out in the dirt-covered road._

_ "Maxwell, get that kid in the van, log the date in as August 12, 1984, and I'll take care of this one…"_

_ As the men began to clear the scene, James watched on patiently, waiting to spot one walk pass the eerie-looking van. "What do you want me for anyway?" James spat angrily as the robust Maxwell settled him in the van._

_ "Don't you recall?" Maxwell began casually. "Your dinner date with your love? Today is your one-year anniversary that you've been with her, correct?"_

_ James snarled as he lashed in his seat, his breathing heavy. "How the hell did you know, you sick lunatic?"_

_ "It's quite natural to be upset right now," Maxwell coaxed the young boy. "I mean, I was in this exact situation over twenty years ago… However, I will say that if you continue with these abrupt eruptions, I'll have to put you under the TeCoven pill as well…"_

_ "But what about my date tonight? What about tonight makes you guys want me so badly?"_

_ "Well, you're quiet intelligent, am I correct?"_

_ "Well… yes… you can say…"_

_ "4.0 GPA?"_

_ "Yes…"_

_ "And… the date tonight; movies, a walk in the park, the science fair located in the park? Do you recall the way you taught half the residents of Sydney, Australia about the Theory of Evolution?" he spat out of disbelief as he undid the handcuffs from James's wrists. Even though the events were just a couple of hours beforehand, it still left a heavy impact on Maxwell, even though he was a Brawns for TeCoven._

_ With that mentioned, James scoffed in disbelief. Sure, the boy was the smartest student in all of his classes, and of course, it was obvious he has a love for learning, but that night was just a casual night for him, he supposed. "I wanted to put a little fat on their heads! I was just explaining what I learned in class! And I wanted to impress Angela!"_

_ "I see that, but what was most impressive was the way you spoke of things only top-notch scientists of Australia would know! TeCoven needs someone like your kind. The highly intelligent kind…"_

_ With that in mind, James blushed wildly and sighed. "So where are you taking me?"_

_ "I know this may be a stretch for you," Maxwell began with reluctance. "But… TeCoven is in The United States…"_

_ "The States?" James exclaimed horrifically. "Why the hell-"_

_ "I've spoken too much," and before James could comprehend the conversation, Maxwell slipped a TeCoven pill in James's mouth, startling him heavily. _

_ Before lifting the slumbering teen in his arms, the red-head man checked for a pulse. Steady and normal, he analyzed. She will be fine._

_ While falling under the spell of the TeCoven pill as the man lifted her into his arms, a weary moan escaped the dazed Angela as her eyes partly opened to get a last glimpse of her surroundings. Upon doing so, as her eyelids fluttered, a name upon the tag pinned to the man's attire caught her attention. Garner, she barely made out. __**Jack**__ Garner._

Only down to a few pictures, Jack grew excited as he noticed that Larson's picture was among them.

The last few pictures were eliminated from the sequence, bringing up the picture that matched the hair follicles. Larson. James Larson, the screen showed. Jack smiled meekly. "A perfect match…"


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

"How much of my money did you spend exactly?"

"Oh… couple of bucks, you know…"

Upon entering the family's abode, the bewildered Simon, along with Jeanette gazed upon the sight of a less-than-attractive extra-large pizza with unappealing toppings surrounded by several liters of soda, and to top it off, a stack of movies laid at the edge of the living room table, waiting to topple over onto the carpeted floor.

"How much is a 'couple of bucks'?" he spat as he soon found he could not draw away his stare from the over-packed table.

"Um… well, I ordered the movies, you know, so I wouldn't get bored!" the guilty Alvin explained himself through of fit of nervous chuckles.

"How much?" Simon repeated with an obvious-sounding tone to his voice, his arms crossed tightly over his chest.

"Okay, okay!" Alvin exclaimed before heaving a deep sigh. "Somewhere around fifty bucks, maybe?"

"Fifty?" Simon yelped in disbelief as he staggered back where he stood, his blue eyes wide with anger.

"Hey, you said I could borrow some money!" Alvin countered as he stood to his feet. "And it's not like I'm eating this by myself, right?"

Simon should have anticipated this from Alvin, but sorry to say, he let it happen, so he was definitely paying for the consequences… literally… "This is the last time I'm letting your narrow-minded-self borrow anything from me starting this point on!"

"I'm sorry Si!" Alvin replied with a soft sigh. "I thought it would be okay!"

"Yes, Alvin, it's _definitely _okay to spend _half_ the money I have that I've been saving up for quite some time now!" he exclaimed sarcastically before falling to the couch, massaging his sore temples. "I think I'm getting a headache…"

The rebellious Alvin knew, at that point, he had fouled up big time. He gazed at Jeanette, his facial expression pleading to hers, hoping she had an idea handy of what he could do to reverse Simon's current emotion, but all she could do was shrug.

"W-w-well, he'll pay you back, Simon. Isn't that right Alvin?" the quiet Jeanette attempted to coax the feuding, resting a tiny hand upon Simon's tensed shoulder.

With that said, Alvin chuckled nervously before giving any answer of. "Well, not right away…"

Simon emitted a sigh and readjusted his glasses to the bridge of his nose. "Alvin, don't even try with me…"

"But-"

"Alvin, please! Just go!"

"Go where?

"Somewhere I can't see your face!"

Alvin rolled his eyes before standing to his feet and making his way for the door. "Fine; I'll go," he called teasingly as he grabbed the top to his worn out baseball uniform and slipped it over his arms and buttoned it half way. "You sure you won't miss me?" he asked with a slick smile.

The words that seemed distasteful to Simon flowed unwelcomingly through his ears. It sickened him to know that Alvin was treating the situation lightly, so as it result, it fueled him to retort with, "Alvin, in all honesty, I don't care what might happen to you if you leave! Hopefully, you won't be back for a while! I _really_ don't care to see you right now!"

Alvin couldn't deny the fact that Simon's words had actually gotten to him, but he tried his best not to show it on his face; however, he knew he couldn't hide the hurt from Jeanette, whose green eyes were wide, matching his emotions to let him know she knew he was offended.

With that, Alvin rolled his eyes and slammed the door shut, making Jeanette jolt where she stood.

Slowly, Simon gazed up from his lap and gazed at the door, a sense of regret lingering over him. "I swear," he began to Jeanette as he gestured for her to sit next to her, "you give Alvin worthy rights, and he goes and messes it up for himself."

"Simon, I understand the fact that you're upset," Jeanette reluctantly began, pushing up her glasses upon her nose. "But… maybe Alvin meant well?"

Simon showed his disagreement with a scoff. "Please, Jeanette, tell me how Alvin meant well! I worked hard to earn that money, and he goes and spends the majority of it on pizza and other nonsense!"

Anxiously, Jeanette brushed her drying tongue across her lips, fumbling with her fingers. "I mean, you didn't _exactly_ give him an amount to spend…"

Once she met gazes with Simon's anger-filled eyes, she knew she should have kept her mouth shut. "Jean, please don't take up for that idiot!" he spat cold-heartedly.

"I'm not," Jeanette insisted, lowering her voice. "I'm suggesting this because Alvin looked pretty hurt before he left."

The blue-clad teen grimaced and shoved his hands within his blue-jeans' pockets. The regret lingered, but it had not fully sunken in. "That fool doesn't have a heart or any emotions, at that; well, not one that I know of, exactly…"

"Si, I know what he did was wrong, but-"

"Jean, just stop defending him, please!" he fumed as he fell back in his seat, putting shock into Jeanette's being.

At the sudden bite, the purple-attired teen clamped her mouth closed, her entire face turning a light maroon. Had Simon, for the first time, raised his voice at Jeanette? She wasn't use to this treatment; well, coming from Simon, that is. The brunette anticipated it more coming from her older sibling, Brittany. However, coming from Simon, it stabbed her well.

Simon made a glance in her direction, his eyes widening at the sight of Jeanette. "Jean, I didn't mean to say it like that," he attempted to convince as the tall girl stood to her shaky feet, immediately detecting the invisible wound he had caused.

"It's okay. I shouldn't have said anything…" she paused, suddenly overcome with awkwardness. "I-I-I think I should head on home now. It's getting late."

"And it's dark," Simon added quickly. "I should walk you home, just to make sure you're okay!"

Jeanette contradicted the idea, shaking her head to and fro. She was fearful of one, an awkward silence on the way home, or two, Simon scaring the wits out of her with his overpowering voice yet again; she rather dodge both scenarios. "I'll be okay. The neighborhood's really safe, and I only live a block away…"

Simon mentally slapped the glasses from his face, the regret and guilt finally seeping through his skin, and into his heart. "_Yes, Simon, you've have definitely made a huge mistake…"_

"Are you sure?" he asked softly.

Jeanette nodded and quickly took hold of the doorknob, sighing heavily before twisting and pulling, making her way out onto the cool night.

"Damn Simon, way to piss off your brother _and_ your friend!"

With that, the distraught teen stood to his feet from the couch, the regret, guilt, along with shame coating his mind.

On the other side of the door, Jeanette kept the tears from rushing down her face as she stepped off the porch and down the driveway. Poor thing, she only thought that if she put Simon in Alvin's shoes, it would make the situation better. Boy, was she off on that idea. As she slowly walked through the yard, a sudden cough caught her divided attention. Spooked, she whirled around and caught sight of smiling blue eyes underneath the garage's motion-detecting light.

"Alvin?" she called as she slowly approached, tightening her eyes as she struggled to see.

For a moment, the area was quiet, putting fear in Jeanette. After some time, however, the red-clad teen took a step into the light, his arms crossed over his chest.

"I thought you left," Jeanette abruptly mentioned.

Alvin shrugged, and tilted his head towards the front door, a kind smirk on his face. "I heard you guys in there," he began with a single chuckle. "Thanks for _trying_ to get Simon to stop being mad…"

Jeanette's cheeks turned a bright pink as she directed her eyes to the ground. "I-I-I just thought he shouldn't have been _too _mad, that's all."

"Well, I appreciate it."

In the back of Jeanette's mind, she couldn't help but to think the boys had switched roles momentarily. Simon, the optimistic one, fumed at her, while Alvin, the hot-headed brother, was thanking her generously. What a role-swap.

"I-I-I don't know… I always mess things up with him, you know. I mean, I don't mean to… half the time," Alvin admitted with a roll of his eyes. "This time, though, I guess I wasn't watching how much money I had spent…"

Jeanette uttered a giggle and bit her lip. "Well, I guess we're both on Simon's 'list', huh?"

Alvin chuckled in agreement. "Hey, but I'm more used to it! I'll be off of that 'list' by tomorrow afternoon."

The street slowly grew bright with high beams from an upcoming vehicle down the street, making the two cover their eyes from the sharp lights. The van slowly rolled past, too slow, Alvin thought wearily. For a few seconds, the van stopped outside the house, and Alvin came to the conclusion that there might have been unexpected visitors. The van jerked where it sat parked, and revved away at speeds inappropriate for the tiny road. A cloud of smoke from the old exhaust pipe drifted, and slowly faded into nothing.

"That was weird," Jeanette spoke with, almost too afraid to walk just a block away.

"Hell yeah," Alvin agreed with a stiff expression. He scoffed as he gazed at Jeanette form head to toe. "And you're _sure_ you want to walk home… alone… in the dark… with that pedophile van?" Alvin edged on, making Jeanette break out into a cold sweat.

"Um… I'll be fine…"

Now, it was hard for Jeanette to convince even herself that she'll be okay on her walk home. She swallowed her fear and began to march down the driveway, putting a content smile on Alvin's face. He watched on casually, his hands shoved in his pockets as Jeanette continued to leave.

"I'll be fine," she attempted sweetly, the strap to her tank-top slowly slipping down her shoulder.

"And, how sure are you about that?"

Alvin brought his hands from his pocket and crossed them over one another over his chest, his content smile turning sly. He himself knew Jeanette wouldn't take another step… well, that is until the van veered around the corner, its worn out tires burning sick-smelling rubber. She shuttered and looked towards Alvin with frightful green eyes.

~7~7~7~7~

"Now… was that so hard?" Alvin asked simplistically as he and the brunette rounded the corner, heading to the Miller's residents.

Jeanette blushed forcefully, hiding her fears with a crooked smile. "N-n-no, it wasn't!" she replied quickly.

Taken aback by her sudden demeanor, Alvin gazed at the shaky brunette from head to toe and emitted a heavy sigh. "You really are scared, aren't you?"

Jeanette couldn't deny the fact; she was extremely thankful that Alvin offered to walk her home after the tiny altercation between her and Simon, and at the same time, she punished herself for even turning down his offer several times.

"Very much so," she replied with a slight giggle, brushing her breath cross her freshly cut bangs.

Even through her giggles, her nervousness shone through, and the poor Alvin had no idea of how to coax her until they made it back to her place.

"Aw, come on! It's not that bad out here!" Alvin tried to convince as he fell to his back in the tall cool grass, his eyes skimming the Earth's horizon. "Have you ever just…" he paused, his finger beginning to trace the bright lining the horizon gave off, "you know, stop and look at the bright lights at Downtown Westmont from here?"

Jeanette raised an eyebrow as she looked in the general direction his finger was pointing to. "Where? I don't think I see anything."

"Right here."

Alvin gradually raised his hand for Jeanette to take, offering her a seat in the grass next to him. With hesitation, she rested her quivering hand in his and took a cross-legged sit, her back gently hitting the soft earth.

"Where?" she asked again.

Alvin chuckled about as he pointed just ahead, sighing dreamily. "There. I love the lights. I always wish to be there when I'm right here…"

Off in the distance, the dancing lights of Downtown Westmont glowed lovingly through the skies, the stars gradually fading as they drew closer to the city. A content smile smeared across Alvin's face as Jeanette pondered the lights far ahead.

"What about it, though?" she asked quietly.

Alvin gave off a shrug, a light sigh escaping him slowly. "I don't know. I guess it's different for everyone. I think it's just gorgeous…"

As Jeanette's hand continued to rest in Alvin's, she became dumbfounded; how did such an egotistic star-athlete such as Alvin come to find time to name things as 'gorgeous' and propose to walk someone home who he only associated with at school and when he needed to catch up on some studying? Maybe there's good in everyone, Jeanette thought, her green eyes unable to leave the mesmerized Alvin as he gazed off in the bright horizon.

She came to the conclusion that the genuinely sweet Alvin was quite… attractive…

Coming to the realization that their hands were still clasped together, Alvin gently took it away, resting it upon his stomach.

"Believe it or not," Alvin began as a smirk replaced his content smile. "I hate walking home in the dark… Sometimes, I'm terrified to leave track practice because it gets so dark out…"

With wide eyes, Jeanette shot her gaze to Alvin in pure shock. Her mouth was slightly dropped, and Alvin found this look to be priceless.

"Why so surprised?" he asked as he rose in his spot in the grass.

"You… every time we're in the scariest situations _imaginable_," she stressed greatly; "you're _always_ the brave one! How could you possibly be scared walking home in the dark?"

Once again, Alvin shrugged, standing to his feet, dusting off his blue jeans. "Well, who's going to be the brave one when everyone's scared? Theodore? Psh, I think not!"

"Well… you learn something new about someone every day, huh?"

"Yeah, well, don't mention it to the gang!" Alvin spat quickly as he waved his hands about. "Simon and Theodore will _never_ let me live it down; and especially Brittany! Oh God, she'll torment me until the end of high school!"

He reached down to help Jeanette from the ground, pulling her gracefully to her feet.

"Alvin, don't be so melodramatic!" Jeanette replied with a giggle. "I won't tell… I promise…"

Suddenly, Alvin's cheeks turned the brightest red possible, his gaze directed to his red Converse. "Well, thanks, I guess."

For a moment, the air was full with silence as the two continued to make their way down the dim-lit street. Far off in the distance, the sound of burning rubber could clearly be detected just around the corner, putting worry in Jeanette's heart.

"Are you sure you'll be fine?" she asked the red-clad teen as she took him lightly by the arm.

"Of course! No scary… w-w-whatever that hell that is will _not_ going to get the best of me! I know some weird shit has been going on tonight, but nothing to weird or scary for Alvin Seville!"

"Alvin, don't try to be too brave," she warned as she and Alvin made their way up the driveway of the Miller's residents.

Alvin bit his lip and trailed Jeanette up the stairs of the porch and to the doorway.

"No such thing as 'too brave.' Maybe overly macho, as I am…" he teased with a sly grin.

Jeanette rolled her eyes as she searched for the house keys within her purse, pulling out a rusty set. "I dread staying here alone…"

Alvin raised an eyebrow and scrunched his face in confusion. "No Brittany and Eleanor?"

Jeanette shook her head solemnly. "They went to the movies with a couple of friends."

"I can… you know…" Alvin edged on. "I can stay here with you until they come back."

Jeanette couldn't help but to smile as she pushed the door open to step in. "Alvin, I think you've done enough for me tonight, and I really appreciate it, but it's fine. I'll be fine here until they come back."

Alvin scrunched his face with uncertainty, crossing his arms tightly over his chest. "Are you sure?"

Jeanette nodded before leaning against the doorway, catching a gleam in Alvin's eyes. _"What has gotten into Alvin lately?"_

"I'm positive."

Alvin shook his head in disappointment, yet a smile made its way through as he made his way closer to the doorway. "Look at you; so modest…"

His fingertips lightly stroked the side of her face, placing a thick curl behind her tiny ear. She froze in her spot as Alvin slowly drew his hand away, casted her a wink and made his way off the porch.

As Alvin jogged his way across the street, Jeanette concluded that there could be no second-guessing the 'new' Alvin. "Oh yes… the more generous Alvin is quite attractive…"

~7~7~7~7~

"Both of them! It was both of them! What are the chances of that happening again?" the excited Jack cheered in the passenger seat of the van, his eyes glimmering with frenzy. "There was Maxwell's grandson, and then Larson's daughter, and… oh my, I can hardly breathe right now!"

"Jack, cool it before you rupture something," Darrell spat irritably as he shoved Jack away from his 'personal bubble'.

"I'm terribly sorry, but this is it; we have two generations in one night! Who of which come from the most hard-working lines of generations TeCoven has ever seen!"

"So, is our plan still on?" Craig asked as a clarification.

"Yes, my fine boy," Jack replied with perk. "Maxwell's blood is walking down the sidewalk after leaving Larson's blood's house, it seemed. You two detain the boy, and I'll go after Jeanette…"

Craig grew uneasy after hearing the girl's name reach his ears. _"How the hell would he know her name so fast?"_

** Do I sense a little romance between Alvin and Jeanette? Who knows; you'll have to keep reading to find out! ;)**


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

The walk back to his abode was considerably uneasy than the walk to the Miller's for Alvin, every bump and break of a branch putting him further out on the edge of his wits, his attention undivided and high.

"Come on Seville," he coaxed himself as he drew nearer down the street. "This is crazy. What's so scary about this? It's not like you haven't walked home from track at this time of night before!"

As his walk progressed, an eerie feeling swept across him as the wind lightly blew against his neck, making him shutter at the sudden feel. At this point, Alvin could only agree that that day had been extremely off for him, starting at the track meet. Sure, he brought his school home the first place medal, but the all-around ambiance of the event felt out of place; more like his family wasn't the only ones rooting him on. Of course, an entire crowd cheered for the track star, but Alvin could still feel the burn of unwelcomed eyes upon his body most of the time. The haunting feeling spooked Alvin. But who was there to put him out of his comfort zone? Alvin couldn't place the discarded feeling, so he tried his best to brush it off as he rounded the corner leading him to his house.

And scary enough… the same feeling of being watched came over him once again…

The street itself was noiseless, until the sound of burning rubber once more that night could be heard directly behind the teen. He jolted as he whirled around in his spot, seeing headlights drawing nearer to him, bouncing off the curb and onto the sidewalk, screeching to an abrupt halt.

The fear settled in Alvin's heart as the van stalking him and Jeanette became recognizable to him, his blue eyes growing wide. The doors slowly pried themselves open with a rusty creak, and Alvin stood frozen in his spot, bracing himself for the worse. When he familiarized the men to be the same ones that questioned him at the track meet, his fear was replaced with anger as his hands turned into white-knuckled fists.

"You guys again!" Alvin spat as he marched his way over to the towering men. "You two and an older geezer almost made me late for my event today!"

The brown-eyed man smirked as he stepped forward to Alvin, but the red-clad boy stood his ground.

"What's the big idea? You scared my friend half to death with that creep machine stalking us the entire time!"

"So, you agree that the brunette is your friend, correct?" the brown-eyed man, Darrell asked calmly.

Alvin slightly staggered where he stood and swallowed hard, startled by the sudden question. "Uh… yeah," he replied bluntly.

Darrell, along with his partner, Craig exchanged glances that cued each other, and rushed to Alvin's side, grabbing him forcefully by the arms.

His anger was then replaced with helplessness, his legs swinging to and fro as he struggled to rid himself of the men's overpowering grasps.

"Let me go!" he shouted as tears came to the corners of his eyes.

Well, his kicking and thrashing must have come to some use, for Alvin swiftly kicked Darrell in his ribs and backhanded his partner. The two released him, dropping him to the rough concrete below. Disoriented by the fall, Alvin staggered to his feet and made his way for the house only hundreds of feet away.

Darrell sent a smirk in Craig's direction and chuckled hardily. "Looks like we got a runner, huh?"

"Like always."

With that, Darrell reached into his back pocket and pulled out a handheld device with physical similarities to their DNA scanner.

"A P9 v.2.m?" Craig called as he and Darrell walked a little ways to catch up to the track star. "You sure about that? That can't be enough!"

Darrell nodded with full confidence. "Positive. Just enough P's and vm's where the shock won't scramble his brain, but enough to make him surrender. I don't want to finish off an _entire_ generation Craig!"

With a hard stance, Darrell gripped the tiny device in both hands to anticipate the kick it gives off similar to a gun's kick. "Halt! Freeze!"

The warning bit Alvin hard, fear coating every inch of his body, but he continued to run through neighbors' lawns.

"How the hell are these stupid neighbors not hearing all of this?" Alvin spat under his breath as he ducked underneath sloping branches. "Any other time I sneak out of the house, they're all on my case!"

"Halt! Freeze!"

Beads of sweat trickled down the sides of Alvin's face, just mere feet away from the door. With great strength, Alvin swung open the screen door and twisted the doorknob… only to find the door had been locked.

"Oh shit," he mumbled under her breath as he twisted and yanked, twisted and yank. He resolved to pounding on the door, screaming for assistance.

"Simon, if you don't open this God damn door, I'm dead!"

On impulse, Alvin gazed at his wrist watch to find it was 10:35 p.m. Around this time, Simon found a free period to video chat with a couple of friends… with his headphones glued in his ears.

"God, he probably can't hear me!"

"Halt. Freeze!"

Alvin turned in his spot, staring directly down the barrel of the TeCoven device, his body quivering as he pressed his back against the front door, his breathing heavy with distress. He attempted to break away from the side, scraping the body of Dave's car with his bulky wrist watch. One step, two steps, Darrell took aim, a blue bolt of light escaping the device, blinding him and Craig. The bolt painfully caressed Alvin's leg, the shock spreading to every inch of his body, a piercing scream echoing through the nighttime sky. He collapsed to the ground in a heap, his hands clamped around a bundle of grass as the pain coursed through his legs. Exhaustedly, he turned and lay on his back, staring in the eyes of the men who he was most certainly terrified of.

A moan escaped him as he attempted to scoot away, only to bring an immense amount of pain to his entire being. "Get away from me," he managed to speak.

"Look, that's the most we want to do to you. Nothing more," Craig persuaded as he took a navy-blue pill out of his pocket. "Everything will be explained, I promise you, but in order for everything to fall in place, you _must_ be cooperative!"

"Whatever you're going to do: eat my guts, chop of my hands and use them as combs, anything… just do it already and don't hold back," Alvin pleaded as Darrell clamped a pair of handcuffs around Alvin's scratched-up wrists.

Darrell chuckled as he carefully lifted Alvin to his throbbing feet. "We're not sadistic," he replied. "But things will be much clearer in a couple of weeks…"

As the men led the apprehensive teen to the van, he couldn't help but to speak, "Will I die if I go with you guys? W-w-will I get to see my family again?"

"Of course you'll be able to see them again, but I can't say too much; the top TeCovener will help the situation make sense for you… and others like you…"

Alvin's face frowned in confusion that very much matched the current situation.

"Here," a sudden voice called, followed by a hand to Alvin's mouth. In the palm of Craig's hand, the navy-blue pill appeared again.

"What the hell is this shit?"

Without warning, Craig loaded a pill shooter handy and ejected the capsule down Alvin's throat.

"What the hell was that?"

"A TeCoven sleeping pill. Just like any other sleeping pill at your local pharmacy, but-"

Before finishing his explanation, Alvin unexpectedly collapsed into Darrell's arms, his speech incomprehensible.

"It works 90% faster than a regular one…"

~7~7~7~7~

Anxiety got the best of the poor brunette as she paced the hardwood floor of the living room, her green eyes gazing down at her quick feet.

"Maybe I should call Alvin," she began as she made her way to the house phone that sat idle on the corner of the coffee table.

She rested an uneasy hand upon the phone itself and breathed an exasperated groan. Would Alvin even answer, she thought.

Of course she cared about Alvin's well-being, considering the fact he was such a gentleman for walking her home, but she surely didn't want to boost Alvin's ego by giving him the slightest notion that yet another girl from school - such as herself - may be crushing on the star athlete by calling to check on him. She couldn't deny it; he was such a sweetheart. And, on top of it all, he even offered to be of some company until her sisters returned from the movies. She was almost glad she denied that offer; she knew her sisters well enough that they would have taken Alvin's gentlemen streak as a make-out session while they were out and about.

Slowly, but surely, she picked up the phone and began to dial his number. She placed the phone to her ear, listening to the obnoxious tone; however, after one ring, the phone quickly cut off, sending her straight to voicemail.

Dumbfounded, Jeanette pulled the phone away and inspected it as if it will give her some sort of an answer. Hesitantly, she placed the phone back on its designated receiver, pacing the floor once more.

"M-m-maybe he was on the phone with somebody," she lured herself to believe.

How could she even consider believing such tale? How could she even come up with that as an option? After the events with the van on their walk home, she knew deep in her heart that her guess was far from correct. Yet, she felt she needed some sort of explanation to cajole herself.

She called again.

No answer.

She waited another five minutes.

Still, no answer.

She occupied herself with a game of handheld Solitaire until she finished the deck three times in one sitting.

Unbelievably, no answer. Each time she called, it rang once, and went to voicemail.

She knew then that Alvin didn't have his phone. She didn't know who, but someone did; someone other than Alvin.

It worried her deeply, that something could have possibly happen to the poor guy.

Suddenly, there came a knock at the door, startling her greatly. Tears began to stroke the corners of her eyes as she tip-toed her way to the door. At this point, she could hear her heart in her ears, she could feel her stomach churning, the need to vomit coming one. Her hands grew moist and sweat caressed her hairline. For a moment, she stood still as a statue. As she built up her courage, she looked into the peak hole to find an elderly man rocking back and forth from the balls of his feet to his heels.

"If I open this door," Jeanette whispered breathlessly, "I'll be going against everything Miss Miller taught me about talking to strangers!"

"Hello!" a hefty voice outside the door called.

Jeanette fell silent, holding her breath as long as she could. She peered through the peek hole to see the man's demeanor had changed; he seemed a bit frustrated, his foot tapping heavily upon the porch.

"Anyone home?" he boomed, piercing Jeanette's ears by the sudden bass in his voice.

Jeanette bit back as long as she could, but found it a great struggle to hold in. Finally, it all spilled out as she replied to the stranger. "Who is it?"

The man, the elderly Jack, didn't answer back right away, putting hope in Jeanette that he decided to leave. Once his voice boomed again, however, her hope faded away.

"Look, are you the only one home?" he asked irritably.

"Who wants to know?"

"I do!"

Jeanette swallowed noisily as she stepped away from the door, her back hitting the wall adjacent to it, almost knocking over Miss Miller's favorite plant. Now, more than ever, she regretted turning down Alvin's offer to keep her company. If she would have said yes, Alvin would be with her, protecting her from this stranger, and possibly boasting about how much of a victory the track meet had turned out to be. Anything was better than the situation she was tied in.

"What do you want?" Jeanette called back.

"Look, I have information. Some that may be of great interest to you," Jack informed brightly. "Listen, I'm not here to hurt you at all. Actually, that's the last thing I want to do is hurt you in any way!"

"Were you the one riding around in that Astro?" she asked suddenly. "Stalking my friend and me?"

Jack pounded a single fist against the door, splitting it halfway down the middle, startling Jeanette to the point of tears.

She rushed her way back to the phone and held it to her chest. "I will call the police if you don't go away!" she sobbed heavily as she hid behind the couch. She pressed the number 9.

"Jeanette, open this Godforsaken door, _now_!" he roared. "I'm an elderly man with arthritis, but I can _guarantee _you that I'll break this door to the floor!"

The brunette's sobs turned into petrified screams as the phone slipped from her hands and tumbled underneath the couch. "Oh shoot!"

An ear-splitting bang ripped through the house, coming from the front door, Jack fulfilling his guarantee. He blasted his shoulder into the door once more, shaking Jeanette's being as her clumsy fingers struggled to reach for the phone.

~7~7~7~7~

"And, like always, you seem to pick out the _best_ movies for us to watch!" the blonde complimented as she and a taller auburn-haired female strolled down the brightly lit city just shortly after the film of their choice had ended, leaving the sisters flabbergasted.

The auburn-haired Brittany accepted the compliment to the fullest, flipping her springy hair behind her partially covered shoulder. "Eleanor, I'm the _master_ at picking movies! It just comes natural to me!"

"Well, don't be too full of yourself, Brittany," the brown-eyed Eleanor warned sternly. "This was just one good movie! I bet you the very next time we go to the movies, you couldn't do it again!"

"You obviously underestimate my awesome powers of picking the best movies to see!" Brittany replied cockily. "I can do a lot of things that amaze people!"

"Sure," Eleanor spat sarcastically. "It _amazes_ everyone how long you can run your mouth about yourself nonstop!"

Brittany glared at her youngest sister and expressed a sound of displeasure. "Well, if I didn't, there would be nothing to talk about!"

"If you insist, Brittany…" she paused suddenly, hoping to come up with some idea that would pull Brittany out of her conceited conversation.

"So, I think Alvin did a wonderful job at the track meet today! Wouldn't you say Brittany?"

Brittany giggled and shrugged. "You could say he did. But he was _really_ close to losing. I still give him props, though."

"Hey at least he won!" Eleanor contradicted with raised eyebrows. "Anyway, do you think Jeanette might want us to pick up dinner?"

"Sure, I'll give her call," and with that, Brittany reached into her back pocket and slipped out her bejeweled cell phone and commenced to dialing the house number…

~7~7~7~7~

"No!" Jeanette whimpered desperately, for her arms weren't quite long enough to reach the phone that had slid under the couch.

With yet another thrust of his shoulder into the dry-rot door, it cracked down the middle, chunks of wood spilling to the floor. To finish the job with one swift kick of his foot, he kicked the crack, a hole big enough for Jack to fit through made into the door.

On impulse, Jeanette disregarded the phone that began to ring and ran around the corner into the living room where a closet sat across from the basement door. Silently, she opened it and sat in the back corner, her knees hugged to her chest as she tried to control her wild breathing.

Jack, who began to make his way through the hole in the door, gazed around the house cautiously, his eyes snapping every which way in search of the brunette. His steps were slow and calm as he reached into his back pocket, playing with a navy-blue capsule at the tips of his fingers. With each step, the floorboards underneath him creaked, putting anxiety in Jeanette's heart as she could hear him draw closer to the closet. The closet door was cracked open, and Jeanette only hoped that Jack wouldn't catch sight of her toe in the moon's light coming through the open-curtain living room window.

As he came closer, Jeanette could feel his presence slowly drift by and around the corner into the kitchen, easing her for just that moment.

~7~7~7~7~

"No answer," Brittany blurted irritably as she shoved her phone back into her pocket.

"Maybe she's sleeping?" Eleanor suggested.

Brittany shook her head and heaved a heavy breath. "She's a light sleeper; she would have heard the phone! Do you think she and Simon are still at the Honor's Night she was talking so much about?"

Eleanor, too, shook her head in contradiction. "Honor's Night ended at 9:45, and it's just turning 11. And no restaurants are open at this time of night, so they wouldn't be out anywhere!"

Brittany couldn't hide the fact that she was a bit worried, so with that, she sped up her walking pace. "Come on, Ellie. We better get home, just to make sure she's all right…"

****Cliff-hanger! Haha, I'm so evil! :}****

****And thank you so very much for the reviews, guys! They're much appreciated! :D****

****Chapter 11 coming soon****


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Even though Jack had finally made his way around the corner, Jeanette couldn't call anything to be safe at that point. So there she sat, in hopes this man would just up and leave if he couldn't find her throughout the large house.

_"Maybe I'll wait until he goes upstairs, and I'll make a run for the door!"_ Jeanette thought optimistically as she soon held her breath, hearing the knocking of his footsteps against the floor.

Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Jack's shadow cast along the wall, and in this shadow, she could tell something was gripped tightly in his wrinkled grasp.

_"A gun, perhaps?"_ she thought bitterly, her heart thumping vigorously against her chest.

As Jack remained on the first floor of the house, Jeanette realized that the only thing she could do was wait if she didn't want to risk being found. The long wait caused her painful anxiety in her chest, her breathing becoming out of control. He would for sure hear this wild breathing, but after taking a glimpse over his shoulder, he dismissed it, and kept on with his search…

~7~7~7~7~

"Eleanor, wait up!" the out-of-breath Brittany called as she tried to catch up to her jogging sister.

"We can't wait," Eleanor replied swiftly. "I have a feeling that something's horribly wrong! I don't know what yet, but something isn't sitting right about this!" she exclaimed with wide eyes. "Jeanette should've answered the phone, no problem! She's not irresponsible like this!"

"What should we do then?" Brittany asked crossly. "Dave's hundreds of miles away in New York, and Miss Miller went out with her girlfriends tonight to… who knows where! Who can we call?"

Eleanor could hear the impatient tone in her sister's voice, but disregarded it as impatient for answers. She too, wanted an explanation, and in the back of her mind, she could only wish that Jeanette was fast asleep and didn't wake up in time to answer the phone. She kept that close as an option, but a nagging feeling only told her that Jeanette would have answered, and if she missed the call, she would have returned it right away.

"Maybe we can try calling the boys! They would definitely help us out!" Eleanor figured as she stopped in her tracks to pull out her green-clad cell phone from her back pocket. "I'll try Simon first…"

~7~7~7~7~

"No way! He spent _that_ much of your money?" the voice projecting itself through the speakers boomed through Simon's room that night.

"Incredibly, yes, he did," Simon replied angrily as he paced the floor with hands shoved in his pockets as he video-chatted with a friend three towns over. "And he has the audacity to make a joke out of it, like the whole situation is just one big comedy show!"

Simon's friend, a blonde-haired Jerry scoffed as he shook his head disappointedly. "Great, that's wonderful, but how are we supposed to road trip this summer? Funny thing; we actually need _money_ for that!" he replied with the heaviest of sarcasm he managed to produce.

Simon snarled as he took a seat at his computer desk and shoved in his headphones to hear Jerry more clearly. "I know, I know. I'll just have to start saving up as soon as I can!" he exclaimed, sighing ever so deeply. "That damn Alvin! Ugh! What wouldn't I do to have a different brother? I know I told him he could borrow some money because he didn't have any, but he knew he went overboard spending half of mine!"

Through the webcam, Jerry bit his lip, an unsure look plastered on his face; what could he possibly say; that he understands Simon's pain? Not in a million years would he be able to; luckily, he's an only child, to say the least.

"And not to mention that Jeanette tried to take up for him!" he exclaimed in disbelief as he rested his head in his hand. "I thought she'd definitely have my back on that one…"

"Where did they go off to?"

Simon sighed with an exasperated chuckle and massaged his temples. "Jeanette went home, and as for Alvin… I don't know, and I can care less! Hopefully, he doesn't come back for a while!" he spat hatefully as he drew himself closer to the computer screen.

"Don't worry about it Si; just keep saving money until our trip; you should be fine until then!"

At this point, Simon's behavior was far from hopeful as he rested his head upon his desk, a loud thud sounding through the room.

~7~7~7~7~

With a slight gasp as she heard the voicemail's automated expression, Eleanor pulled the phone away from her ear, her eyes wide with confusion. "Britt, he didn't answer," she replied sorrowfully. "Who should we call now?"

Franticness was evident in Eleanor's voice, so Brittany rushed to think of whom else to call to keep her sister positive of the bitter situation. "Try Alvin's phone next," Brittany instructed. "Maybe he'll be some help… hopefully…"

Eleanor made no hesitations as she dialed the red-clad teen's number into her phone by heart…

~7~7~7~7~

"Damn; you'll never guess whose phone's ringing now!"

A dull ache circulated his entire head as he slowly, but assuredly came-to. His entire body gave off a radiating pain he only wished would vanish as he struggled to move. His eyes were moist, which only blocked him to take a gander at his new surroundings. The floor beneath him bounced every now and then, and a bright light shone through the tinted windowpane; the moon, he figured. As the tears from his eyes stroked his face, clearing his vision, he staggered to his feet, only to stumble back to his bottom. Surely, he would have caught himself, but his hands were detained… with handcuffs. With that realization in mind, he jerked his arms about to free his hands, panic getting the best of him.

"Damn…" he mumbled under his breath as he examined the new area. Everything was coming back to him; the suspicious van, the eerie men, and not to mention, that pill they forced him to take. He could recall the entire event, however, he couldn't pin point on where he was at that moment. As he gazed around, analyzing his surroundings, he came to the conclusion that, _"I must be in that van…"_ he thought fearfully.

As the ride proceeded, he heard a clatter of mumbles coming just in front of him. Separating him from the clatter was a thick steel wall with a square cutout blocked off with vertical bars, each evenly spaced out from one another. He swallowed hard, the feeling of being in prison worrying him, sweat beginning to line the sides of his face.

The chatter in the front filled the entire van;

"This phone has been ringing off the hook ever since we picked him up!" Darrell exclaimed through a fit of chuckles as he turned down a deserted highway heading south.

Craig smirked as he picked up the phone and twirled it in his long fingers. "He _must_ be popular at school. He has fans, perhaps?"

"Just one number calling him, though," Darrell replied as he took the phone from Craig. "Some girl, I guess. It must be important."

Alvin narrowed his eyes in thought as he pressed his ear to the window. _"Who could be calling me?"_

For a moment, he assumed it was Jeanette, possibly checking to see if he made it home all right, or maybe one of her sisters just to call and say, "Hey". Even though he presumed each Chipette, he couldn't figure just one.

As Alvin pondered who could be calling, without warning, the van jerked to the left, thrust to the right and drove into a roadside ditch, busting a headlight on impact. The jerky movement slammed Alvin against all four walls of the van, dazing him just momentarily.

"Damn it!" Craig fumed as he pounded his fists against the dashboard. "The stupid ball-joint broke again! This old ass van _will_ be the death of me!" and with that, he and Darrell carefully exited the van to see how bad the damages were.

For Alvin, a moment of relief swept over him as the men left the van. He figured it would buy him some time to answer his phone they obviously did not want him to have. How typical, he thought as he attempted to reach his confined hands through the bars, but to no use.

"This is perfect," he mumbled mockingly. "I'm held captive, and I can't even reach my cell phone. This has to be the best day of my _entire_ life!"

But Alvin was far from giving up. Painfully, he forced his arms through the bars, tearing parts of his skin as he did so, but he trudged on. His face grew red with unbearable pain that only gave one the notion that Alvin could tolerate high doses of agony. The phone continued to ring as it – now – was just in his fingertips. All he had to do was flick it in his hands and it'll be his again. His hands quivered as they struggled to reach his phone and out of the pain his arms endured as they tore alongside the bars. Just as he managed to get the phone in his sweaty-palmed grasp, the door on the driver's side opened wide, practically jolting Alvin's heart from his chest. He pulled back, only to find that that handcuffs were caught between the bars.

"Hey Craig, could you get me the jack from the back?" he called as he thoughtlessly reached into the van, just passing Alvin's grip on his phone to grab a screw from the cup holder. The backdoors to the van opened wide, and with a bit lip and closed eyes, Alvin waited to be caught.

~7~7~7~7~

"Brittany!" Eleanor exclaimed as she pulled at her blonde hair in frustration. "Alvin didn't answer!"

Her speech was shaky as she began to pace the sidewalk anxiously, her eyes directed to Brittany. "Britt, something isn't right…" she spoke in monotone, her voice dead of its once lively vibrancy.

Her mind raced as she exchanged glances with Eleanor and the phone gripped ever-so tightly in her hands. "J-j-just try one more time," she instructed fervently as she took Eleanor lovingly by the shoulder. "It's Alvin, remember? He probably ignored the call as a joke. He'll pick up this time, for sure!"

Eleanor looked on with uncertainty written on her face and deep in her heart. She couldn't explain to her older sister what she was feeling; her notions were strong that something unknown and terrible was unfolding. However, to settle Brittany's nerves, she dialed the number once more…

~7~7~7~7~

"Wait, the jack's right here!" a voice spat, putting newfound hope in Alvin.

All three doors slowly closed, darkening the van, the glow of the phone shining in Alvin's face. He squinted his eyes to shield them from the light, but through narrowed eyes, he could see the name; Eleanor. A relief-filled breath escaped him as he answered the call, his hands still stuck between the bars, making the talking a little difficult.

"Eleanor?" he whispered frantically as he pressed the phone tightly to his ear.

"Alvin!" she exclaimed happily as she exchanged thankful glances with Brittany. "You have no idea how happy I am that you answered!"

The nervous Alvin didn't reply right away, and the only thing that could be heard was his off breathing. "Listen, Ellie, I-I-I can't be on the phone for long…"

"You don't sound too good, Alvin," Eleanor felt the need to mention. "Is everything okay?"

"Ellie," Alvin began in the lowest whisper possible as he felt the van jerk underneath the jack that lifted it off its passenger wheels. He paused yet again, wondering if he should worry Eleanor with his off-the-wall story. "I-I-I'm over a friend's house, and they all passed out for the night," he lied effortlessly. "I just want to keep my voice down so they won't wake up."

There was no hiding it, something was definitely off for Eleanor; she knew Alvin more than imaginable that he wouldn't respect that fact that his friends were sleep; he would be the first to wake them up, looking at it as a joke. Yet, she let Alvin's words pass behind her.

"Okay," she replied. "But… is Jeanette okay? I called the house, and she didn't answer o-o-or return the call!"

Alvin slightly gasped, his stomach beginning to do outrageous backflips. The urge to vomit suddenly settled, however, for he soon thought that it was just him these goons were after, and Jeanette was just someone in the way of that. "She's fine!" Alvin spoke with full confidence. "I walked her home, and made sure she was okay and everything!"

Eleanor breathed a sigh of relief as a content smile made its way upon her calm face. "Alvin, you can be such a sweetheart… rarely, though…"

Alvin mustered a chuckle to keep the blonde shorty from worrying. "Ha, thanks…"

_"That was his comeback?"_ Eleanor thought sickeningly. _"Surely, he would have made fun of me for being so damn worried!"_

Caught off guard by the conversation, Alvin hadn't anticipated on the doors to the back opening again, the men catching sight of the insubordinate Alvin having access to his phone.

"Hey!" Craig spat as he jumped into the back, taking Alvin by the nape of his neck and slamming him to the van's floor. "How'd you get your phone?"

"Get away from me!" Alvin shot a rebuttal angrily as he kept his phone near to his chest.

Now hearing this only increased Eleanor's anxiety.

"Alvin, what's happening?" she asked frantically as she pressed the phone tighter to her ear. "Alvin, can you hear me!"

All the blonde could make out was reckless struggle, the men's voice carrying through her ears, and before long, an ear-splitting cry that was evidently Alvin's coursed through her body, and suddenly… nothing, the phone cutting off the conversation…

~7~7~7~7~

Brittany gazed upon her sickened sister as she pulled the phone away from her ear. Her face was drained of its peachy color, and her entire body convulsed only slightly.

"Brittany," she whispered as she took her sister tightly by the arm. "S-s-something's wrong…"

"Like what?" Brittany spat frenziedly as she shook Eleanor to and fro. "Eleanor, what did Alvin say? Where is he? What did he say about Jeanette?" she questioned fiercely.

The words choked Eleanor to the point of wheezing, her eyes growing bloodshot. "Brittany, someone has Alvin! He's in trouble! There were men in the background trying to take his phone away from him!"

It wasn't long before the blonde began to sob hysterically, the perimeter of her face drenched in tears as she Brittany held her.

"What's happening, Brittany? I want answers!"

"Ellie, I want answers too!" Brittany admitted full-heartedly as she snatched the phone away from her distraught sister. "But you're forgetting someone else you can call!"

Wiping her tears away, Eleanor placed a finger to her chin in thought, her mind disorganized from the crying. "Who?"

"Your boyfriend, silly!"

****I know not much has been going on in these past chapters, and I want to apologize about that. But it'll get better in the next couple of chapters or so! I promise!****

****Chapter 12 coming soon****


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

For the group of boys, the night was still somewhat young, for they sat wide awake and attentive while watching a horror flick they all voted upon. No one dared to admit it, but the movie did give them that eerie feeling in the pit of their gut as its falling action progressed at a fast pace.

"Geez," the green-eyed green-attired boy mumbled to himself as he half closed his eyes at the gory scenes that made him sick to his stomach. Yet, he confronted the scenes and continued to taint his vision with such violence he couldn't even imagine.

Sparing a few gruesome details, the movie finally ended, the end credits dripping red with computer generated blood as it showed the producers' names.

"Well," one of the boys spoke up as he hopped to his weary feet, "that movie was _definitely_ not scary!" the red head boasted. "I-I-I could have fallen asleep to that!"

Another teen rolled his eyes as he stood to his feet as well, giving the red head an exasperated look. "You are so lying right now!" the hazel-eyed boy opposed straight-forward. "So you're telling me you didn't flinch at the part where that girl got stabbed in the middle of class?"

"Okay, just a little," he halfway agreed as he crossed his arms tightly over his chest.

"What do the rest of you guys think?" the red head questioned as he turned to the other two boys who were sunk into the couch.

The green-eyed Theodore chuckled nervously before he too, stood to his feet, stretching his limbs. "I won't lie," he blurted suddenly. "That has got to be the scariest movie I've ever seen! I mean, everything looked so real, it was gross!" he finished with a heftier chuckle.

"At least Theo's truthful!" the hazel-eyed Anthony guilt-tripped the red-head Trent as he shot him a grimace.

"Yeah, I'll have to go with Theodore on this one!" a silver-eyed Greg piped in, but continued to keep his seat. "Just imagine!" he began in his narrating voice. "Having family around that you love just disappearing into thin air, gone without a trace, no evidence, no mercy on you!"

"Shut up, Greg!" Trent snapped tensely. "The movie was scary enough; no one wants to hear that from you!"

"It's true, though!" Greg replied indignantly. "Just because this was a movie doesn't mean it couldn't happen!"

"It couldn't!"

Theodore chuckled at his friends' behavior, comparing it to the way his older brothers would fuss. "Hey, maybe it could happen, and maybe it couldn't!" he explained in hopes to even out the argument.

"But forget the movie!" Anthony disregarded. "I'm wide awake, and I say we hit the town!"

"Ant, it's one o'clock in the morning," Theodore reminded as he flashed him his Rolex watch. "What stores are open at this time?"

"I know one!"

Trent snarled and rolled his eyes. "McDonald's doesn't count!"

As the boys countered one another for what seemed to be hours, at his hip, Theodore's phone began to buzz out of control, silencing the boys' bickering.

"Humph, must be Theodore's girlfriend," Trent broke the silence, giving Theodore a sly smile.

Theodore scoffed at Trent before pulling his phone out of its cell phone case, gazing at that name that flashed before him. "What do you know? It is!"

"Awww, she misses Theodore!" Greg teased with his hardy laughter following behind.

Theodore dismissed his friends' teasing as he turned his back to them, answering the phone with, "Hey sweetheart, what's up?"

For a long while, Theodore and the boys grew speechless, considering that they could hear the uncontrolled sobbing coming from the other line, worrying them immediately. Each time Theodore attempted to sooth the sobs, she only grew louder, breaking Theodore's heart.

"Ellie, what's going on?" he shouted above her cries.

"Theodore, someone has Alvin, and they took his phone!"

In an instant, Theodore's world crumbled piece by piece, tearing him apart limb by limb as the words echoed through his mind, breaking him down slowly. He had only seen Alvin just mere hours ago before he left the house; what could have happened? If anything, it broke Theodore's heart to hear that something devious could have happened to his oldest brother… or something more sinister in mind. At that moment, he felt completely helpless.

"Who has Alvin?"

"I don't know!" Eleanor admitted with hesitation. "I was on the phone with him asking about Jeanette, and-"

"Whoa!" Theodore halted her explanation. "Hold only; is Jeanette okay?"

Through another fit of sobs, Eleanor mustered up to finally reply with, "I have no idea! I think something happened to them! She's not answering the phone when I call! That's not like her at all! And when I called Alvin, it seemed like someone was hurting him!"

Fright began to coat Theodore from head to toe, his body beginning to quake. For the teen, he had no idea of what to do, who to call first, or where to go next. How can such a harmless night turn out to end as such; a brother missing, and a friend who's not answering any calls? "Baby, I'll go to your house to make sure Jeanette's okay, alright? Would that help?" Theodore soothed once more.

"That'll help a ton…"

Hesitantly, Theodore ended the call, making his way to the door with his phone tight in his grasp, leaving his friends with not a word.

"Bud, is everything okay?" Anthony piped up as he rushed to Theodore's side. "Eleanor seemed pretty upset! Do you need us to come with?"

It was difficult for Theodore to hide that fact that something was wrong, but he managed to shake his head. "Look, I just I have some things to take care of. I'll catch up with you guys later…"

He waved off his friends as he left through the front door, the wind immediately brushing against him as he subconsciously made his way for the Millers' residents. As he did so, he commenced to dialing Alvin's number.

"Oh Alvin," he mumbled tiredly under his breath. "What in the world have you and Jeanette gotten in to?"

~7~7~7~7~

Time slowly passed, the agonizing anxiety in her chest becoming unbearable. Just to ease the said anxiety, Jeanette only hoped that whatever the elderly man had in store for her… that he would just do it, and make it quick and simple. Deep in her gut, she had the horrible feeling that this would be her last night on Earth. If so, she refused to leave with the nagging pain in her chest. Maybe if she cracked the door, just slightly, as he passed by for another look, Jack would see her huddled in the closet and capture her, Jeanette thought hopefully.

But deep in her heart, she knew she couldn't simply give herself away without putting up some kind of fight. What would her sisters think? Well, Jeanette knew they would expect her to do just that… back down. Jeanette felt that was all she was ever good for; she had little to no courage.

"I did stand up to all those people tonight at the Honor's Night," she murmured brightly. However, if it weren't for Simon edging her own, she would have sat glued to her seat and let the professor teach the wrong information to more than a quarter of the student body.

"What am I good for? All I'm good for is giving in and sitting out…"

"What if I give myself up right now? I'd only be proving myself right."

"But… what if I actually try?"

As her thoughts drew her deeper into the 'what if?' world, Jack's scrawny shadow casted over her green eyes as he passed by with haste, obviously frustrated. And suddenly, something else Jeanette had hoped for; Jack began making his way up the stairs where Brittany and Miss Miller's bedrooms were located. Jeanette could hear, and almost felt his footsteps caress each stair step tactlessly as he made his way for the bedrooms.

Now Jeanette's chance had finally emerged; she no longer wished to be cooped up until Jack noticed her hideout. She was going to make a run for it.

As Jack reached the top step, Jeanette could hear him beginning to ramble through one of the rooms, hopefully occupied enough for Jeanette to leave.

Without much rush, the trembling brunette crawled out of her spot from the closet and stood to her shaky feet, her eyes skimming the perimeter of the living room. For Jeanette, it seemed as though a century had past when she finally made it to the busted-up door. She cringed at the sight, but slowly began to step through as Jack continued to wreck the bedrooms upstairs.

With precision, Jeanette carefully grabbed at the splintery wood, slowly putting her body through the narrow spot.

Because the wood was beyond dry-rot, a large piece of it broke off as she pulled herself through, sending her back into the house, toppling onto the hardwood floor, a loud enough yelp escaping her.

There soon came the knocking footsteps, rushing towards the noise as she slowly pulled herself up, moaning in pain. She gazed up from where she sat, and to her dreaded surprise, the elder stood wide eyed at the top step, his mouth agape at the sight of her.

Not a single scream could leave Jeanette's throat, shock dominating her entire body as she edged her way for the door, her eyes wide as she trembled.

With no rush, Jack made his way down the stairs, holding up his wrinkle-filled hands to the brunette, swallowing hard before beginning with, "I'm not here to hurt you…"

Through several quivered sighs, Jeanette's gaze refused to leave the tall man, her mouth dry as a sand dune. "H-h-how am I supposed to believe you?"

"I have set-in-stone information here in my hands," Jack explained delicately as he waved a heavy packet of papers tight in his grasp. "Information that's extremely vital to you, but in order to receive this information, you _must_ come along with me," he instructed as he stepped forward to retrieve the teen.

"Please," she interrupted suddenly, bringing her hands up to shield her tear-covered face. "Don't hurt me. I won't run…"

A sudden gasp escaped Jack as he gazed upon the teen quivering on the floor, her brown hair falling freely over her sweat-drenched face, her green eyes wide and unforgettable…

_"I won't run… I swear…" James reasoned that night, his metal-wall room giving him the feeling that he was being enclosed, his claustrophobia getting the upper hand. His green eyes shimmered in the room's light as they filled with pained tears, his chest cramping, his muscles tensing ever-so tightly._

_ "I know you won't, son," Jack spoke forcefully as he apprehended the teen on the floor, his claustrophobia winning by far._

_ "Please, get off of me!" James screamed at the top of his lungs, tears streaming down the sides of his face. His breaths were short, and the tears began to stroke his red cheeks. "I won't run, I swear!"_

Guilt began to fill Jack as his mind went back to that night. Now, he only wished he would have believed the poor teen when he said he wouldn't run, and maybe his claustrophobia would have gotten better over time, and maybe his arm would not have gotten broken in the struggle when they finally brought him in for orientation.

Now the chance had come to make up for his wrong-doing; and what better way to do it than to make it right with James's own. With trust gradually building in his heart, Jack stopped where he stood and stood his ground, gazing bewilderedly at Jeanette. "Do you mean that? You won't run?"

Without a single hesitation in mind, Jeanette shook her head, her breathing easing with each breath she took. "I won't…"

Like so many years before, Jack could feel that sting of connection as he gazed upon the latest generation, her eyes giving the same trust James had given him, and at that point, Jack knew she would keep her promise, even if he gave her opportunity to run and call the police. With his feet planted, Jack reached a hand down to offer help to Jeanette, and as he did, she jolted back, almost shocked at the kind gesture.

She examined his hand closely and then gazed into his grey eyes with somewhat uncertainty… but through that uncertainty, she found warmth and comfort; the only emotions she felt for her friends and family.

Hesitantly, but with less doubt… she raised her hand, resting it carefully in his. He pulled her to her feet, and fed her the navy-blue TeCoven sleeping pill…

~7~7~7~7~

"Alvin, I know you," Theodore spoke up after the beep that indicated him that he could leave a voicemail message. "I know you more than anybody on this earth, and I know you can be thoughtless sometimes… but you were never the kind to _not_ answer his phone! Pick up the damn phone; this isn't funny anymore! We're scared and worried about you!"

With a heavy heart, Theodore ended his voicemail message and continued his way for the Millers' house, each step putting him further in fear. He only wished that Jeanette would have been occupied with some homework while listening to music with her headphones. Yeah, that explanation seemed reasonable enough as to why she didn't answer her sisters' calls, well… for the moment, it seemed quite reasonable. That is… until he strolled upon the girls' house, his heart jumping into his throat and dropping into his stomach.

The door was ajar; the hole had appeared in his sight, and not to mention that there was a scatter of debris sprawled out on the front yard.

Theodore ran his way over to get a better look at the horrific sight, his gaze jerking here and there, having it finally land upon the mess of debris at his feet: several pieces of blank paper, a pager, and devastatingly, a pair of purple-rimmed glasses bent heavily at the corners, the lenses cracked beyond recognition.

In that very instant, he recognized the glasses, finding them all too familiar; they belonged to Jeanette…


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

The lights flashed dangerously upon his back as he sat at the curb, almost emotionless, some would say. His face was dry of tears as he curled his knees to his chest, mumbles and talks coming from behind him, the police taking notes from neighbors who may have heard, or even seen the events that had taken place. Many of the neighbors' talks scared him witless, and some even made him question the unknown that had taken place. And some stories sounded too… unrealistic…

"And that van kept driving around this block like a mad-man!" one neighbor with heavy amounts of curlers planted atop her head exclaimed to the police who held a pen and a notepad in his loose grasp.

"That poor boy was running for his life," Theodore could hear one neighbor whisper to another as they kept their distance from the scene. "He couldn't even get inside the house when he came to the door…"

Hearing this comment immediately brought tears to his eyes, his breathing quickening at a sudden thought. "Simon…"

"It was Alvin! I know him! He's in a P.E class! He's pretty fast! I was looking out my bedroom window when it happened!"

This made Theodore's attention to this particular eye-witness's account sky high as he sat straight up, directing his eyes to the boy.

"This man took something out of his pocket!" the teen, a Junior Theodore recognized from school sputtered. "It wasn't a gun though! It was some kinda sci-fi junk, like, you know, a lightning shooter! He pointed at Alvin and BLAM, he shot it at Alvin, and he fell to the ground!"

"He busted down the door," another conversation went on, "but it didn't fall! He made a gigantic hole through it, and two hours later, he came out with this girl wrapped in his arms, and she looked sick!"

Suddenly, a piercing scream echoed through the ears of everyone in the area, quickly pulling Theodore out of his thoughts. He looked up to find Brittany holding a shocked Eleanor in her arms as they gazed upon the scene, her brown eyes wide, her pupils heavily dilated.

"Eleanor!" he called as he made his way over to the two, bringing them into his hold. "I got here, and that's what I saw; the door was busted and they found some stuff by the porch!"

"Oh my gosh," she mumbled as she and Brittany scurried there way over to a police officer.

"Officer, what happened?" the blonde blurted.

With sympathy in his eyes, the officer turned to the girls with heavy question on his face. "Do you young ladies live here?"

"Yes!" Brittany blurted with full obviousness in her voice. "What happened? Where's my sister, and what the hell happened to the door? Where is my sister?"

"I know you're extremely upset right now," the officer began. "But here's what I know; that fella over there," He pointed to Theodore, "gave us a picture of what your sister looks like. Dark-brown hair, emerald-green eyes?"

"That's her!"

"Well, as far as we know, and what we gathered from the neighbors, a man, probably around his mid to late sixties attempted to break down the door, but made a hole in it instead, and-"

"What?" Brittany spat as he gazed over the officer's shoulder to find that the hole in the door was no fairytale; beside it, two detectives stood. One collected fingerprints around it, and the other snapped several photos…

_Several more police cars veered around the corner, all stopping at a screech. This was serious; no one was just kidnapped in this neighborhood. Everything about the subdivision was safe; the neighbors, the mailmen, and even the neighbors' pets. Nothing like this happened… well, except for that night, that is._

_ "Angela!" a hefty voice from behind boomed, startling the red head out of her skin as she stood forth her the cobble stone her and her boyfriend had just occupied the night before._

_ She recognized the voice to belong to James's father as he and James's mother, a blonde-haired blue eyed woman approached from behind after jumping out of their cars that had arrived around the same time the police had come._

_ Of course, after Angela had awakened on the park bench, disoriented by the intensity of the pill, she made her way to the nearest police station and explained the whole situation. In all honesty, Angela would admit that she disregarded James's wishes to tell his parents that he had ran away only because the poor red-haired girl loved the wispy-haired boy far too much to just make up some impractical lie that he ran away; he just wasn't that type of boy._

_ "Angela," James's blonde mother exclaimed as she rushed to her side. "Angela, we came as soon as we got your call! Is everything true? Did they take my James?"_

_ With quivering hands, Angela brought them up to her face, shielding her eyes. "I-I-It all happened so fast! After our date, we were making our way home, a-a-and out of nowhere, these men jumped out of the bushes and attacked James! It was horrible!"_

_ "Now Angela," James's father speaks as firm as his grasp on her shoulders. "Do you remember any faces, names, or anything like that?"_

_ "Well… j-j-just a little," she hesitated to admit, her head lowering in shame. "There were two men, and one was quite short for his age, and the other was pretty old with red hair like mine. He was the one that pinned James to the cobble stone…"_

_ "Any names?"_

_ With full doubt in her mind, Angela shook her head, but abruptly, it hit her at all once, her hazel eyes widening at the sudden rush of memories. Before being carried away and drifting off into a deep sleep, she snuck a peak at the man's nametag he acquired. "Garner," she spewed through a whisper. "Garner…"_

_ "Garner…" James's father edged of excitedly, his grip on her shoulders tightening._

_ A bit dazed, Angela looked at the couple and swallowed hard. "Jack…"_

"I called Dave," Theodore informed quietly to the girls. "I called Miss Miller, too."

He bit back, feeling the tears coming to his eyes, the pressure building up in his head as he gazed upon his sobbing girlfriend, bringing her into his loving arms.

"Theo," Brittany piped up as she swept away her many tears. "When will Miss Miller be here?"

"I called five minutes ago while she was downtown," Theodore replied over the loud police sirens. "If anything, she should be here in ten minutes or so…"

"And Simon?"

Theodore shook his head in disbelief, rolling his eyes. This demeanor somewhat shocked Brittany, never seeing Theodore react in such a way at the sound of his brother's name.

"He's on his way…"

Before Theodore could inform the girls of any other useful information, a tall blue-clad teen came pushing through the crowd while a bright-pink old school Mustang came revving down the street, almost hitting several police cars in its path.

"Well," Theodore began with surprise in his voice. "I didn't expect her to be here now!"

Out from the car, a busty mid-aged woman –who the girls called their mother- came rushing from the Mustang. Her blue eyes were wide with shock as many detectives and policemen surrounded the house. Her arms flailed about as she made her way over to the teens.

"My dear daughters!" she exclaimed as she took Brittany and Eleanor in a lung-crushing hug, tears immediately beginning to roll down her face. "I got the call from Theodore! Where's my little green-eyed pumpkin?"

Slightly out of breath, the blue-clad Simon, sweating from head to toe finally broke through the crowd to meet up with the others. "Theo, what the hell's going on? I got your message! What happened?"

Just as Theodore opened his mouth to answer any questions, a stalky police officer approached the group, and like many others, was holding a notepad and a pen at hand. "Good evening everyone. I know this must be tough for you all right now…"

"I just want to know what happened!" Brittany spat irritably, her eyes becoming teary once more. "Where's my sister?"

With a heavy breath, the policeman began with, "From what we gathered so far in this investigation, it seemed like it all began when a teenage boy, between five and six feet left his assumed abode following a brunette. The two proceeded to walk down the street and between the hours of ten and eleven, everything seemed normal until…" he paused, cringing at his next words. "A van, the majority of the neighbors seem to have seen, might have been stalking the teens…"

"So, you're saying someone picked them up?" Miss Miller blurted, balling up her fists around the strap of her purse.

"Now Miss, even though a good majority of the neighbors have witnessed a teenage boy being 'captured' you can say, we can't say for sure; we need hard evidence for this case to go further…"

"And if not…"

"I'm afraid to say that they have to be listed as a 'Missing Person' in this case.

"Oh my gosh," Brittany murmured as she began to massage her temples.

"Theo…" a sudden voice from behind called.

The green-eyed boy gazed over his shoulder to find a very confused Simon. Theodore's eyes widened at the sight of Simon; never in his life has he seen his brother so dumbfounded, considering he was the smarter one of the family.

"What's going on?" he asked quietly, his eyes darting in every direction from the nosy neighbors to the flashing red, white, and blue lights.

"Well apparently," Theodore began hastily as he fanned his arm beside him as if introducing Simon to the scene, "Jeanette and Alvin are missing and no one knows where they are!"

"What do you mean?"

"Exactly what I just said!" Theodore shouted fitfully as he crossed his arms tightly over his chest. "Where have you been these past hours?"

Taken aback by his brother's sudden lashing-out, Simon took a few steps back, swallowing hard. "Theo, I've been home the entire night since I got back from Honor's Night with Jeanette. After that, Alvin walked her home, and that was that!"

"Simon," Theodore replied, relaxing his tone significantly. "Neighbors who might have seen what happened said Alvin was trying to get inside the house… b-b-but they said he wasn't able to get in…" he paused, not wanting to believe what he was intending to imply. "Was the door locked? Did you hear Alvin? Were you sleeping at all?"

"I didn't sleep a wink tonight!"

A disappointed look casted over Theodore's face, his eyes filled with hurt. "Si… were you video-chatting… with your headphones in?"

With narrowed eyes, Simon could suspect what Theodore was suggesting. "Theo, if I had my headphones in, I would have still heard Alvin at the door! Clearly, at that!"

"Then why didn't you pick up the phone when we called?" Brittany hissed as she pointed a finger to the tip of his nose, making his stagger back. "We called you, and you didn't pick up!"

At that, Simon's heart began to race.

"And why didn't you answer for Alvin?" Theodore raised his tone once more, tears coming to his eyes. "He could've been okay now if you didn't have your stupid headphones in! You would have heard him, no problem!"

"Stop it guys!" the blonde Eleanor exclaimed as she made space between them. "This is definitely _not_ the time to point fingers! Two people close to our hearts are out there somewhere, and they wouldn't want our negativity!"

Before Eleanor could reason with the boys any further, Theodore sat at the curb, covering his mouth with his hand, hoping to keep down his sobbing and Brittany had turned her back, completely disregarding her words of wisdom.

Eliminating the sound of conversations and police sirens, the area between the four teens grew a thick silence, none of them with anything to say. At that point, there wasn't much to say, and especially nothing they could do; with only a few evidences at the crime scene, no one could pin point where Alvin and Jeanette were, or if they were even abducted as the neighbors had concluded. As the silence grew thicker, Simon sighed, breaking the silence immediately.

"Y-y-your right Theodore," he replied, using the awkward silence for his time to clear his mind and think about the situation. "You're right. I-I-If I didn't have my headphones in… A-A-Alvin would be all right," and with that, he stormed off, his cloud of guilt continuing to loom over him as he made his way back home.

The three remaining teens exchanged glances, and after some time, Theodore stood to his feet from the curb and sighed. "I'll talk to him," he informed before jogging his way over to his distraught brother.

"Simon," Theodore called as he took him by his shoulder, turning him around to face him.

"It's quite alright, Theodore," Simon began as he wiped away his tears, removing his glasses as he did so. "It's just… I-I-I was upset with Alvin…"

"How come?"

Simon shook his head, now wanting to discard his words. "Never mind, it's nothing, it was a petty argument between us…" and with that, he continued his way home.

A surge of anger shot through Theodore as he rushed to meet with Simon once more. "Simon, you have to tell me, or else nothing would make sense! Tell me!"

For a while, Simon bit his tongue from telling his youngest brother anything, but figured it would do some good for the investigation and his conscience. "He spent half my money on pizza and other items, so naturally, I'll be upset!" he fumed. "So he left the house. Then Jeanette insisted that I shouldn't be mad, so… I-I-I sort of got upset with her as well, and she left a little while after… a-a-and that the last time I saw the two…"

Theodore heaved a heavy sigh before shoving his hands in his pocketed plaid shirt. "Si, I didn't mean to make you feel bad about this at all! You know that, right?"

"Theodore, you're the kindest boy I know; of course I know you wouldn't say anything to hurt me… but what you said was true…"

It was now Theodore's turn to feel the upmost guilt, his heart beginning to ache. "Simon, we can't do this to each other. You know, bring each other down… especially now! Someone who is _always_ there for us needs us now more than ever before, and I'm sitting here pointing fingers at you! I'm sorry, Simon!"

After a moment, the girls made their way over to the boys, faces soaked and paled, eyes bloodshot. "Miss Miller's talking to the detectives…" Brittany informed, taking Eleanor's hand. "I'm sorry Simon…" she began, and no one spoke a word, but found Brittany's sudden apology to be shocking; if she were to apologize for anything, she was most likely forced, but now, she knew things meant business.

"I shouldn't have criticized so quickly. I just want answers… I just want to know what happened…"

Slowly, Theodore urged the girls to come to his side, taking Eleanor's hand. Eleanor took Brittany's and Brittany rested her palm in Simon's moist hand, holding it firmly. Theodore took Simon, all four bowing their heads.

Simon comforted his brother, holding his hand tightly in his as he could feel the tremors coming off of Theodore. "You guys, we just need to stick together… we'll find Alvin and Jeanette… We'll find them…"

****I would just like to send a HUGE THANK YOU to all of the people who have taken the time out to read, favorite, alert and/or review this story so far! It is greatly appreciated, and I'm enjoying my time here on Fanfiction more and more each day! I'm so excited to update! Thank you guys so much!****

***~PrincessLeeLee7~***


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

For the second time within the trip, the red-clad boy came-to as he rose from his spot in the back of the van, his vision blurrier than ever, giving him an intense headache that made him dreary and incoherent.

"This _must_ be side-effects to those stupid pills," Alvin mumbled to himself as he got to his knees and crawled his way over to the van's only back window.

Upon gazing out, his jaw dropped slightly at the magnificent sight. The atmosphere of the brightly lit place was nonchalant as people young and old traveled by foot or by car down the boulevard. Teenagers around Alvin's age were socializing that early morning; the majority of the teens lugged around their custom Nike knap sacks. A group in particular that walked past the van had navy-blue knapsacks slung over their shoulders. Some boys and girls in said group wore a plain black short-sleeved shirt tucked in to what seemed to be navy-blue BDU pants. Others in the group fashioned the same top, but with navy-blue jeans, much more laid back compared to the others' attire.

As the van suddenly halted to a stop, several people who happen to walk pass at that moment smiled and snickered with excitement as one pointed a finger towards the van.

"A MiniCovenite!" one teen shouted flamboyantly. "We have another one!"

At the sound of the extraordinary name, Alvin scrunched his face in shock as he continued to gaze through the small window, seeing hundreds and hundreds of people gathering around…

_The van doors propped themselves open as Maxwell stepped through, sweat lining the sides of his face, his bright blue eyes wide with fright as a red-haired man took him gently by his shoulder to help him out of the van. In an odd way, as those hundreds of people huddled close to the van to get a glimpse at TeCoven's newest member, George felt as though he had gained a celebrity status as the large crowd ogled at his grand entrance._

_Some entrance, he thought._ _**"I'm cuffed and beaten up… and my parents must be worried sick about me…"**_

_"What a handsome MiniCovenite!" a girl exclaimed over the commotion as the red-head man, Jack Garner, hauled the newcomer through the thick crowd, having to push some out the way just to make it through safely._

_ George raised an eyebrow at such a name, but disregarded it as he gazed all around, the brightly lit place catching his wild attention. So smooth, and so laid back, yet with a touch of busy; he appreciated this. It seemed as though the place was big enough to have little stores and restaurants, and… was that a post office he just past?_

_ "Wow," George mumbled under his breath, the city-like atmosphere absolutely breathtaking to him. "What is this place? Is it like a mini city or something like that?"_

_ The twenty-four-year-old Jack Garner scoffed with a broad smile as he let off George's shoulder, shoving his hands into his pockets. "This… my fine boy," he began, suddenly taking his hands from his pockets and fanning them out into the air, taking in a large breath, "This… is TeCoven…"_

_ "TeCoven?" George repeated, almost tongue-tied, his eyes that once shimmered with fear now glowed with excitement._

_ "You like it so far?" Jack asked swiftly as he led the boy down the partially crowded boulevard. "You seem pretty… enthusiastic about your recruitment now than you did a couple of hours ago…"_

_ "Well, you did kind of chase me down the street and what not," George replied with a smirk as he readjusted his sweaty wrists clamped down by the cuffs._

_ "But I kept my promise, right?"_

_ "What promise?"_

_ "The one where I said, 'this is the most I'll hurt you to get you'."_

_ George rolled his eyes as he could taste the blood seeping inside his mouth. "Then why am I all battered?"_

"_**You**_ _tripped,_ _**you**_ _fell!" Jack chuckled full-heartedly as he patted a tender hand upon George's bruised shoulder. "I didn't touch you!"_

_At that, George snarled with another roll of his eyes as he dipped his shoulder away from Jack's rhythmic pat. He didn't find that too funny at all; actually, the only "good" that came out of this situation was that he wasn't dead yet. "Is this all gonna be explained to me? Will I see my family and my friends again? Are you guys a cult of some kind?"_

_ Jack sighed softly before replying with, "After your individual orientation, there will be a group orientation with you and some five-hundred others… then we'll assign you rooms and partners…"_

_ George gasped slightly at Jack's words, his heart filling with fear. "Rooms? How long am I staying here exactly?"_

_ "My fine boy, somewhere close to a month, but this will all be explained to you by a Top TeCovener – they'll teach you everything you need to know about this place…"_

_ Without much warning, tears slipped from George's eyes, mixing in with his drying blood. "Why can't my life be normal for once?"_

_ Jack raised an eyebrow before stopping the two in their tracks, his face fixed in confusion. "Well… you seem like a boy with an interesting background… and who seems awfully tired. Care to take a seat?" he asked politely before directing George to a nearby bench. "I'd love to hear about your short life…"_

_ "Well," George began with a sigh, tactfully taking his seat as to not further injure his throbbing leg. "I didn't always live here in Los Angeles. Actually," he cleared his throat, "I lived in Mississippi my entire life until six months ago."_

_Jack looked on with full interest. Never before has he grown so connected with a generation through a simple talk. Usually, he never took the time to learn the names of new generations; this was a first._

_ "There were eight of us in a tiny house; Mom, Dad, and my six younger siblings. I was the oldest. I took care of them a lot of the time. They were almost like my own children. I took care of them because… well…" he paused, shame beginning to run past him. "Well… my dad would get drunk most nights and slap my mom around. She would have to go to the hospital and I was home taking care of my siblings until they got home. It sickened me that my dad would do such a thing, and it sickened me that my mom would accept his apology every… single… time. But… what sickened me the most was that I felt I should have been able to stop it all from happening. I always thought that I would be able to stop my dad, until he hit me, too, on my fourteenth birthday. Even though we lived under the same roof, I hardly spoke to him after that…"_

_ "Is that true, now?"_

_ "Very. And I can't forget to mention that my dad was a racist son of a bitch. The majority of my friends were black, but my dad wouldn't have it. If I talked to a black person, my dad would slap me so hard; I'd pass out for a couple of minutes. But what hurt the most was…" he paused in mid-sentence; his cries hidden in the back of his throat beginning to choke him. He cleared his throat once more before starting again;_

_ "I was in love with a black girl. Her name was Sarah Rutherford. I thought she was the prettiest girl I had __**ever **__seen in my life! We started dating when we were fifteen, but of course I hid it from my dad; he'd wring my neck dry. I just wish my dad would accept the fact that I loved her to death. He didn't, so I'd sneak out the house, just to go see her every night. We'd mess around for a bit, and I'd leave, but after a while, I just came to visit because one night, she told me that she was pregnant…"_

_ Jack's eyes grew wide as he adjusted his seating, crossing one leg over the other in astonishment._

_ George smiled, fond memories beginning to sweep in. "Of course her parents weren't proud, and the only person I could confide to was my mom; she was really understanding, and that shocked me. So… Time passed, and she had our baby. We named him Herman. And the best part? My dad never knew about the pregnancy at the time; not a single detail. God knows what he would have done to me and Sarah if he knew."_

_ "So… how did you raise Herman?"_

_ "On nights when my mom worked, I had her drive me to Sarah's for the rest of the night, and I'd sit up with him and play until he got drowsy and fall asleep in my arms. Boy, he had the curliest black hair I had ever seen, and his eyes were so pretty and green," he described straight from the heart, holding out his arms as if he were still holding his son. "I loved my son; I truly did… But one day… my youngest sister, Ruby Jean found out about Herman… and told my father…"_

_ "How bad did he hurt you?"_

_ "Bad… but not physically…" George admitted with a confused look plastered on his face. "But he hurt me bad… he called Child Services on Sarah, and they took Herman away. Now that… was the most intense pain I ever felt… seeing my son leave me…_

_ "So, you know what I did?" he exclaimed happily. "I took my mom and siblings and __**moved**__, never looking back once! I mean, I loved Sarah, but the memories were painful, and my dad was painful to look, the sick bastard, ever since that night, so I left… It was a good thing Sarah understood. She knew it was something I had to do, or my dad would continue to torment us…"_

_ "And now you're here?"_

_ "Exactly! I'm here… and I'm still getting hurt," he mentioned referring to the blood continuing to trickle down his face. "Thanks a lot," he finished sarcastically._

_ "I can assure you, George," Jack started with a firm hold on George's shoulder, "Where you are now… you'll never have to worry about getting hurt…"_

"Damn…" Alvin mumbled under his breath, his blue-eyed gaze inspecting his new surroundings. "This place…"

"Pretty incredible, isn't it?" Craig asked, showing off his pearly whites through a broad smile as he led Alvin through the thick crowd of bystanders that scrutinized the newcomer. "To make our TeCoveners happy here, we've basically evolved this place into a little city. We even have a cinema here. Back in 1959, TeCoven didn't have one, but-"

"Care to explain what this all is?" Alvin interrupted without a single guilt as he yanked away from Craig, his eyes narrowed tight. "You kidnap me, and you expect me to believe all this garbage coming from your mouth? Are you kidding?"

Darrell and Craig merely chuckled under their breath at the fuming Alvin as Craig continued to lead him down the boulevard. "Alvin, I can assure you that the Top TeCovener will explain everything to you after your individual orientation," Darrel explained.

"Will it hurt?" Alvin asked downright seriously as he gestured a nod towards his aching leg that had practically been electrocuted, which left behind a reddish-purple scar.

"All you have to do is answer simple questions. Then, there will be a group orientation; you're not the only new one here, Alvin, if that's what you are afraid of."

"I just want to know why everything is happening… and how do you know my name?" Alvin questioned spitefully.

"The Top TeCovener will teach you _everything_ you need to know before your classes begin-" Craig suddenly paused, directing his stern gaze to Alvin, startling the red-clad teen quite a bit. "And don't, for the love of God, try to run away… there are deep consequences…"

Alvin swallowed hard at the sudden knowledge; running away was the first thing he had in mind… now, for Alvin, it was no longer an option.

Just like Craig had described earlier, the place called TeCoven was definitely a little city; a tiny Chicago, a miniature New York, a baby Los Angeles, and whatever other city could be named. The time was 2:39 in the morning, Alvin had noticed coming from a giant clock towering over TeCoven. The early hours didn't seem to bother TeCoven's residents, almost as if some of these people had become nocturnal over time. Whatever the case may have been, Alvin saw that these people were wide awake, greeting others with wide smiles and handshakes. To the right of Alvin, a caged-off section stood, and within it were several teens, an adult with a whistle in his mouth, and a mannequin target many feet ahead of them. On the whistle, the teens fired the same lightning device Darrell had used on Alvin, all of their aims electrocuting the mannequin to smithereens. To the left of him, and to his upmost shock, teens and adults alike raced each other… on hover boards, darting and gliding throughout the dark, star-lit skies.

"Are those-" Alvin began, his jaw dropped like a kid in a candy store.

"Yes, sir," Darrell clarified with a wide smile. "P8 v.3.m Hover Boards…"

With that, Alvin shot the men a flabbergasted look, his face twisted in somewhat pain. "P… who-the-what?" he attempted to repeat.

"Like I said," Darrell began once more, "this will all make sense after your orientation…"

****I feel as though this is the most useless chapter in this entire story! D: Maybe it'll be of some importance, but I haven't decided yet. Keep reading!****


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Ungodly hours had come around at the Seville home; 3:13 in the morning to be exact. There was nothing much to do at that point but sit around and anxiously wait for Dave to arrive home from his business trip. The wait caused serious nausea in Simon, and every so often, he found himself heaving into the bathroom toilet. Theodore, on the other hand, coaxed himself with heavy amounts of food until Dave would show up. With Theodore being a slimmer boy than what he used to be, and now having grown out of the stages of binge eating to help his emotions, he wasn't quite use to this fit of binging, so he ate himself sick, his face turning a pale green.

"Theodore," Eleanor called in a worried tone as she stopped him from heading to the kitchen. "I know this is rough on you. It's rough on all of us, too. But please stop before you get really sick! You're scaring me!"

Her innocent tone and the frightful look shooting out of her dim brown eyes caught Theodore's attention, and before he knew it, he had tossed the bag of potato chips into a nearby waste bin, sighing heavily. The last thing he wanted to do during this horrific situation was breakdown in front of his girlfriend; he knew he must be strong for the girls.

"Okay," he replied with a smile as he let her lead him back into the living room, sitting upon the couch.

"Everything's gonna be okay," Eleanor suddenly piped in, nodding her head vigorously. But not even she could fully assure herself, so with that, she sobbed heavily, hiding her face within Theodore's chest.

He lifted one end of his buttoned-down plaid shirt and wiped away her discarded tears, holding her closer than ever before. He wished he could tell his girlfriend that things were going to be okay, but he ran out words of wisdom, having used most of them more than twice, he guessed, so he kept quiet to let her weep. As he did so, he gazed over at Brittany, who was still as a statue, picking with her manicured nails. She hadn't spoken a word since they arrived at the Seville's residents, and Theodore hardly saw her show any emotions, except maybe a few tears here and there, but it was nothing compared to Eleanor's emotions.

It was then that Simon appeared around the corner, coming back from his fifth trip to the bathroom. By that time, he was dry-heaving, which annoyed him. He felt the need to go back, but figured it would render useless. Upon entering the living room, he gazed at the three sitting on the couch; Theodore and Eleanor were huddled at one end, and Brittany sat disinterestedly at the other, almost as if nothing fazed her. Simon frowned slightly as he dragged his feet over to her and took a seat. She didn't even acknowledge him, keeping her eyes to her nails.

_"They're perfectly fine, so I don't know what she's picking at,"_ Simon thought as he roughly rubbed his hands along his faded jeans. _"Maybe it's a nervous habit…"_

"How are you holding up?" Simon asked the indifferent Brittany as she half-mindedly looked up, her eyes glossed over, but no tears fell out.

"Perfectly fine," she replied casually, raising an eyebrow. "Done puking?" she asked suddenly, keeping her eyebrow cocked.

Simon bit back what he truly wanted to say; he wanted to correct her on her tone and her lack of emotion towards the circumstances, but like mentioned, he bit back. "I should be done. My stomach's settling, finally…"

Brittany sighed heavily before standing to her feet, stretching her tight muscles. "Boy, what a night. I want to sleep, but I can't… I really need to catch up on this beauty rest of mine…"

Once again, Simon held his tongue as he looked at Brittany from head to toe, his face scrunched in displeasure. "Brittany," he called as he, too, stood to his feet. "May I have a word with you in the kitchen?"

Brittany nodded and shrugged as Simon led her into the far corner of the kitchen near the stove, stepping closer to her so he could whisper.

"Is there something wrong with you?" he asked bluntly, crossing his arms over his chest in annoyance.

Brittany snarled and unnoticeably mimicked Simon's action. "What do you mean? I'm fine! Is something wrong with you, Mr. Puke-Pants?"

Each word that flowed through her mouth read anger for Simon, his heart racing. He now figured why she and Alvin got in so many arguments; two hotheads don't mix at all. "Brittany, I'm quite serious right now!" Simon retorted, his expression reading pure frustration. "Your younger sister and your close friend are missing right now, and it seems as though it hasn't hit you! Or do you just not care?"

"I care!"

"Then what's with this lack of emotions?" Simon questioned straightforwardly. "You're as emotionless as a robot!"

"Am not! I'm worried about them just as much – if not, _more_ - as everyone else is!"

"Wow, that's shocking!" Simon spat sarcastically. "I've made high-tech robots, Brittany, and they show ten times more emotion than you'll ever show!"

Abruptly, Brittany's feelings began to drain from her; she bit her bottom lip, her cheeks grew a bright pink, and her eyes grew bloodshot, tears shooting out almost instantly as she ran from the kitchen, more guilt soon filling Simon as he followed close behind, confusing Theodore as he continued to calm Eleanor down.

"Brittany!" Simon called as he followed her out of the front door and into the dark morning. "Brittany, that's not how I meant to say it!"

"Then how did you mean it?" she shouted as she stopped in her spot, pointing a strong finger at the blue-attired boy. "You couldn't have been any clearer! I'm a fucking robot; why don't you just put some oil in my joints to keep me from rusting!"

"It doesn't seem like you give a damn!" Simon admitted, holding nothing back, releasing his tongue. "Two _important_ people in our lives are missing and you can't show any compassion! You're just so rude, it's disgusting!"

With frustration taking over her completely, Brittany covered her face, actually sobbing for the first time during last night and now. "You don't understand!"

"Educate me!"

"I-I-I have a sister… who has been crying on and off for the past _four hours_!" she emphasized as she held up her four main fingers. "Four hours, Simon! Four painful hours, and she's still crying! I can't cry with her! I have to be strong for her! By being strong I'm letting her know that we can get through this; she's so vulnerable right now, and if she sees me crying, then she'll know that this is bad, and then she'll break down even more! It's bad enough, Simon; we don't need more tears!"

And within that four-hour time period, for the first time, Brittany began to crumble, and after only a few seconds, she broke, snapped like a twig, and finally collapsed to her knees in the dew-covered grass, the tears unable to stop.

"Simon, I just want to be strong…" she spoke wearily as she finally fell to her bottom, hiding her face in shame. "Please don't look at me! I have to be strong! Jeanette and Alvin will come back in one piece, so I'll have to be strong until then!"

Simon was not sure if he has felt this much guilt before in his life; this wasn't like him, to react so poorly towards the auburn-haired teen, and after Brittany had enough courage to apologize to him for pointing fingers, this is how he repays her? Calling her an emotionless robot? Yep, the guilt was sinking in and sticking like glue.

"Brittany," Simon whispered as he sat in the grass with her, tears beginning to stroke his cheeks as well. "I know you're strong. You're the strongest girl I know…"

With that, Brittany rose her face up from her tear-drenched hands, sniffling uncontrollably. "You don't mean that…"

"Of course I do," he replied bluntly as he crossed his legs, sighing deeply. "You're strong-willed, and I've seen it tonight; the way you held Eleanor, the way you comforted her. But you have to understand…"

"W-w-what?"

"The strongest structures crack once in a while," he answered softly before taking her hand into his, "and when they do crack, it only leaves room for more strength to develop…" Simon paused suddenly, wiping a tear from his eye. "Brittany, you know me, and you know I didn't mean to say those awful things… I'm just so upset, and I'm sorry…."

"I'm upset, too," she admitted. "I feel as though I should have protected Jean from this; I'm the older one, and I'm supposed to make sure my baby sisters are alright… I feel like a failure…" She began to sob once more, her breathing staggered.

Simon shot his gaze to Brittany at her words, shaking his head suddenly. "You're far from one, Brittany. I know you love your sisters, just as much as I love my brothers. A-a-and I feel awful that I can't keep it together in front of Theodore like the way you hold up in front of Eleanor. Now, that's what I call strong," he finished with a bright chuckle, adjusting his glasses to the bridge of his nose.

"If anything, I should feel like a failure. You guys were right; if I didn't have my headphones in, I would have answered the door for Alvin, and he would have been saved…"

Through her sobbing, Brittany giggled under her breath, letting out a shaky sigh. "Look at us, now we're pointing fingers at _ourselves_."

"I guess you're right…"

"But…" Brittany began suddenly before scooting closer to Simon, "d-d-do you think they're okay? Do you think they're hurt?"

Simon only wished he could give her the right answer; if only he knew the answer. Mindlessly, he wrapped a tender arm around Brittany's shoulders, his hand quivering. "I have no clue. Wherever they are, Brittany… let's just hope they're okay and safe…"

~7~7~7~7~

"I think I'm going to be s-s-sick," the brunette trembled as she leaned against the fence, beginning to heave.

"Oh God, no!" Jack spat as he turned his back to her, a disgusted look casted over him. "Are you allergic to anything; medication-wise?" he asked as he turned to the pale Jeanette as she steadied herself along the fence, having a tight grip on it. "Maybe something in the pill has you like this!"

"N-n-no," she stammered quietly. "I-I-I'm just not use to taking any form of medication; especially that pill you gave me!" she exclaimed as she stood straight, the nauseous feeling leaving her. "Where are we anyway? How long have I been sleeping?"

"Three hours," Jack informed as he flashed Jeanette his wrist watch. "As of now, it's 4:27 in the morning. The skies are becoming a dark-blue, but the stars are still out. And as of location," he began as he gazed around, looking into the distance, maybe only one hundred feet in front of the two. "We're almost there. It should take us a couple of minutes to get there…"

"Almost where?"

"TeCoven, my dear child…"

Jeanette gazed off into the distance as well, seeing bright lights ahead of her; similar to the ones Alvin had mentioned. "That's great and everything but… h-how did we get here?"

Jack scoffed and chuckled. "Hover Board, Jeanette…"

The words rang through her ears, but it took a while for her brain to register the off-the-wall sentence, the pill's effects still enduring. "I-I-I know my lack of coherence must be coming from the sleeping pill, b-b-but I could have _sworn_ you said Hover Board!"

"That's exactly what I said," Jack replied, casting the dazed Jeanette a wink.

Jeanette's smile faded as she collapsed against the fence. "Please, for everything I love, tell me this is just a sick and twisted dream!" she roared, clutching her hair in her white-knuckled grasp.

Jack could see that Jeanette was losing it; a common side-effect to the sleeping pills. Out from his pocket, he took out a slip that had similarities to a flash drive, but once he dropped it upon the ground, it expanded and grew an inch in height. After its transformation… it began to hover off the ground, putting Jeanette in disbelief.

"Okay," Jeanette began, feeling a headache come on. "I guess I'm not dreaming! But it's _impossible-_"

"That's what you thought, now come on. We haven't much time to waste anymore. We must make it back on time for your individual orientation," he hurried as he took Jeanette in his arms and carefully climbed upon the Hover Board.

"Orientation for what?"

"This time of the year is like a start of a new school year," Jack explained. "Even though new members can join at any given time, this is the best time to recruit. _Especially_ now! And for future references, we have 'second orientations' on a few generations, just to see if much has changed, and to see if any ideas of theirs have changed."

As Jack continued to explain the process to the half-awake brunette, and through blurry vision, Jeanette looked into the star-filled sky and smiled contently as she slapped herself lightly across the face. "I'm not dead…" she whispered triumphantly before drifting back into a deep sleep.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Individual Orientation #1434

Name: Alvin Seville

Middle Initial: T.

Place of Residents: Los Angeles, California

Occupation: Full-Time High School Student

Closest Past Generation's Performance: Brawns

The room had a terrible draft to it as the red-attired Alvin sat in the middle of it on a steel chair, his underside becoming sore.

"Look ahead," a sudden voice in the room called.

On reflex, Alvin did just that, and a bright light blinded him, his eyes shutting tight immediately after. He came to the conclusion that they had taken his picture, having his photo flash upon a high definition projector just to the right of him. He cringed, seeing a bruise on his right cheek.

"Name," the voice called again, and Alvin soon saw a man and woman sitting behind a desk with a tall stack of papers at hand, their hands moving at speeds Alvin couldn't comprehend.

"Uh…" Alvin stammered horribly, biting his lip. "Alvin… Alvin Seville…"

"Middle Name?"

"Ugh…" he moaned, trying to process why it was taking so long for his middle name to come to mind. "T-T-Tracy," he managed to say, his body beginning to shiver violently.

"This is going well, Mr. Alvin Seville," the woman spoke with high intelligence evident in the way she spoke. "Now… if you don't mind answering this for me… do you happen to know a George Maxwell in your family at all?"

With a thoughtful expression smeared across his face, Alvin almost replied with, "No idea," but stopped himself, the first name beginning to sound all too familiar. "Uh, I had a Grandpa George, but he passed away when I turned 13…"

The woman exchanged glances with her male partner sitting beside her and nodded. Alvin hoped that this was a nod of approval; hell, anything at that point, Alvin hoped it would turn out well, or even better.

"Now, this question may seem personal, and rather choosy," the woman began warningly. "However, if you were to protect any _one person_," she stressed heavily upon 'one person', "who would that one person be?"

Alvin broke out in a cold sweat, anger beginning to fill him. Choosing over family members and friend? What the hell kind of place was this, and how sadistic could they get? Alvin found the question to be awful, but he figured that if he wanted to make it out _not_ in a body bag, he would have to answer.

"Well," he began after sighing, "I'd probably choose my brother… S-S-Simon Seville…"

"Simon, huh?" the woman repeated. "What makes him special to protect?"

Alvin scoffed and chuckled. "I wouldn't have anyone to help me with my homework!" he spat jokingly, chuckling slightly to himself. "But on a serious note… even though we argue constantly, and he's always upset with me, there is definitely nobody else on this earth that fits me better…"

"Good job Alvin," the man spoke warmly. "You may step out; to the right and down two flights of stairs is your group orientation…"

~7~7~7~7~

Individual Orientation #1670

Name: Jeanette Miller

Middle Initial: N.

Place of Residents: Los Angeles, California

Occupation: Full-Time High School Student

Closest Past Generation's Performance: Brains

Considering the fact that she was still under the influence of the sleeping pill, Jeanette was quite mellow, but still understood the severity of the situation. She gazed nonchalantly around the room, her demeanor relaxed beyond normal.

"Look up," a voice called from the front.

It took her some time to register the words, but slowly, she raised her head, her picture taken, and the only muscle on her that flinched was her eyelid from the sudden flash. Other than that, she sat motionless, her hands resting in her lap.

"Hun, can you give me your name?" a warming voice belonging to an entirely new group of people echoed through Jeanette's ears.

That's all the voice did was echo; a long, bothersome echo, like the ones from the Grand Canyon after screaming your lungs out. But this echo lasted. She sighed before gazing up, her vision jumbled. A sudden thought soon came to mind. "Where's my glasses?" she asked herself, squinting her eyes to see the people in front of her.

"Sweetheart, I need your name," the voice, more aggressively, yet with that same warmness, came again. "Can you give me your name? Do you know your name?"

"I-I-I don't know…" she replied sluggishly, her head beginning to bob forward. "I think it starts with a J, maybe…"

_"Gosh, this feels like a hundred pounds,"_ she thought wearily, holding her head upon her shoulders with both hands.

From behind the desk, the woman glanced at her three partners and sighed. "Miss, were you given anything that's causing you to be this way?' the woman asked, her tone almost exasperated.

"A p-p-pill," Jeanette rambled incomprehensibly, her eyes beginning to flutter open and close. "It was really pretty and shiny," she giggled uncontrollably. "And blue, like my tank top!" she spat. Her demeanor was no longer relaxed, but very childish as she yanked at her navy blue tank top to show off to the ladies far ahead.

"Damn it," another woman spoke aloud as she placed her pencil behind her ear. "I've told Jack not to give the younger generations the damn sleeping pill! They're far too young for such intense medication!" she informed her partners. "P12 v.9.m; its highest dosage!"

"Well, do we need to give her the T-Reverser?" another woman asked as she took up a medical suitcase from the side of her, opening it up to expose a number of capsules with different color fluids.

"If we want her to answer these simple questions, than yes!"

With that, the woman took out a clean syringe and picked out a milky-white substance from the group of capsules. The T-Reverser was the only medication known to TeCoven to completely reverse the side-effects of another medication.

She filled the syringe, stood to her feet and made her way over to Jeanette with the sharp needle, feeding it through Jeanette's skin and into her bloodstream centimeter by centimeter.

"Ouch!" Jeanette pouted as she yanked her arm away just as the woman withdrew the needle, her childish side still showing through. "That wasn't very nice!"

The woman chuckled as she knelt down next to Jeanette, her eyes piercing Jeanette's gaze. "Now, what's your name? Do you know your name?"

"Jeanette Miller," she answered without a single hesitation, her eyes narrowed. "Well, that's awfully silly. Why wouldn't I know my own name?"

With a smile of satisfaction making its way upon her face, the woman stood and made her way back to her seat. "The T-Reverser has gone into full affect… Her confusion and child-like state is gone!"

With confusion written on her face, Jeanette sat restlessly in her chair, wondering what they were speaking off.

"Now, can you give us your middle name?"

Jeanette sighed before moving a strand of hair behind her tiny ear. "Nicole."

~7~7~7~7~

Individual Orientation #1998

Name: Jamien Burlington

Middle Initial: K.

Place of Residents: San Diego, California

Occupation: Full-Time High School Student/ Part-Time Waiter

Closest Past Generation's Performance: N/A

"This has seriously been my third orry, so can you guys give me a break?" the sixteen-year-old spat angrily, crossing his arms over his chest. However, the boy's shortening of the word 'orientation' made the situation somewhat humorous.

"Jamien, this orientation is important," a tall man replied as he flashed him his clipboard filled with paper.

"That's what you goons said the last two times!" he reminded fitfully, heaving a monstrous sigh. "'It's so important, it's very important, and blah, blah, blah!'" the sandy-brown-haired boy mimicked aloud.

"So… humor me. What makes this so damn important?"

"Well," the man began as he flipped through his pages. "Some new generations came in today…"

"What about'em? Hundreds of new generations come in every single Goddamn day!" he exclaimed as he slouched in his seat. "What makes this group so special?"

"Jamien… they are perhaps linked to you…" the man hesitated to inform as he cleared his throat several times.

Abruptly, Jamien's tense body relaxed significantly, but not for a second was he going to buy into the man's words. "Why are you telling me this, Kyle? So I can go on some wild goose-chase for the third time, looking for generations who aren't even _remotely_ related to me in hopes they may know my mom?" he questioned swiftly, shaking his head afterwards. Painful memories began to sweep in, his chest beginning to tighten. "Thanks, but no thanks. It's obvious."

"Jamien, I didn't mean to get your hopes up before; I was just too confident those last times, and I apologize," the man, Kyle spoke softly as he rose from his seat. "But this time, I might have-"

"Save what you might have," Jamien demanded before making his way for the door. "I refuse to look like an idiot again; my mom is long gone… dead, even. I'm done looking."

Kyle sighed heavily before taking Jamien by the shoulder, bringing him back into the room. "Jamien, you can't give up hope that your mom is out there somewhere. She can easily be tracked; she's worked for TeCoven before in the past until… everything happened… but… since she took her records with her when she resigned, it's like she doesn't exist to TeCoven any longer…"

"Then why should it be so easy to find her if she took her records, and why would you know anyone here who might be related to her if her records are gone?" Jamien questioned with a raised eyebrow. "You're a lying piece of-" Jamien paused, biting his tongue; foul language results in detention.

Kyle bit his lip as he could see the tears coming to Jamien's eyes, and he only wished he could stop those tears, but knew Jamien would through the biggest fit known to man. "Jamien… we'll find her…"

"That's what you promised last time," he hissed viciously. "I've been looking for her ever since I could walk," he informed cockily. "If I haven't found her now, then there's simply no point. I've stopped looking a long time ago," and with that, the distraught teen left the room, tears streaking his cheeks as he marched off to the group orientation.

He gazed over his shoulder, clutching his chest and falling to the floor, and as he did, he mumbled, "But I want to find her so bad…"

~7~7~7~7~

The hallways to the oversized place reminded Alvin of school, but the way the atmosphere was – busy and rushed compared to the outside – Alvin felt that it was ten times worse than high school hallways. And what made everything so different compared to high school was the age variety; the youngest Alvin saw with his own eyes was a trembling eleven-year-old being led off by someone who seemed to work for TeCoven, and the oldest, Alvin presumed, was in his early eighties, perhaps even older, sitting in a wheelchair being pushed by another worker in navy-blue.

All TeCoven workers fashioned a white long-sleeve dress shirt with navy-blue kakis or a skirt. Come to think of it, everything in that place was navy-blue; walls, floor tiles, and even chairs.

Pushing those thoughts aside, Alvin followed the crowd, not truly sure of where he should go; he just went with the steady flow of the hundreds of people all going in one general direction.

"Why am I going along with this?" Alvin whispered to himself as a set of stairs came up ahead. "I need to get back home… but those guys said that I can get in huge trouble for trying to break out…"

The thought alone terrified Alvin as he swallowed hard, and just up ahead, the hallway turned into an outdoor stadium where those hundreds of people began to take random seats, and to Alvin, most of these people looked downright frightened; suddenly, he didn't feel like an outcast, because he too, was scared, but of course he wasn't going to let people know by showing it, so he kept his calm composure as he walked along, gazing up into the thousands of seats in the large stadium.

In some cases, people who recognized one another ran up for a warm greeting, which confused Alvin. Why were they so happy with this? Why didn't this affect them at all? Are they already used to this?

"Welcome," a kind voice just beside Alvin greeted, a sudden hand gently touching his arm.

Alvin turned to find an elderly woman dressed in a white long-sleeved shirt and kakis. She must be a worker here, he thought.

"Let off me!" a sudden wail caught Alvin's ears over the loud crowd.

A brown-eyed boy squirmed and kicked in workers' grasps as they hauled him into the stadium, sweat dripping down the sides of his face. They finally released him, and down he fell onto the floor, quickly picking himself back up.

"This isn't the last time you'll see me!" he threatened as he shoved his way through the crowd as well, bumping straight into the dazed Alvin, sending him on his knees to the floor.

Flabbergasted by the sudden push, Alvin shot his gaze to the boy, ready to retort and spit every insult his way, but stopped upon gazing into the boy's light-brown eyes, his expression softening. The boy, too, looked down upon Alvin, and for a minute, the boys had a stare-down; nothing violent, and nothing too aggressive; just stares, merely searching one another, a strong sense coming and circulating between the two.

Abruptly, the brown-eyed boy snapped out of it before reaching a helpful hand down to Alvin. "My bad, man. I-I-I didn't mean to run into you like that…" he clumsily apologized.

Slowly, Alvin accepted the gesture and stuck out his hand as well, allowing the boy to help him to his feet.

"It's fine," Alvin replied, readjusting his cap on his head to his liking.

Suddenly, a loud chime sounded throughout the entire stadium, followed by a booming voice that startled Alvin, "Welcome TeCoveners, new and old. Please help yourself to a seat so we can begin the orientation in twenty minutes."

"You'll get use to that," the brown-eyed boy mentioned with a chuckle. "You'll get used to a lot of things around here," and with that, he began to walk ahead, having Alvin trail close behind.

"So… you're not new here," Alvin stated with a raised eyebrow.

"Nope," the boy replied. "In two months, it'll be my first year anniversary of being here… and this is my third orientation"

"This place is called TeCoven?" Alvin questioned for clarification.

The boy nodded. "Yeah; some name, huh? I would've gone with something that isn't hard to say!"

The two chuckled to their heart's content before the brown-eyed boy stuck out his hand to Alvin once more. "I'm Jamien, by the way. I'm not too much of an a-hole, just when these goons think they can carry me from room to room like that."

"I'm Alvin," the red-clad teen introduced. "And it's not a problem… just… a-hole?" he asked with a chuckle, yet his face was twisted in perplexity. "Why are you shortening it? Why can't you just say-?"

"Sh!" the brown-eyed Jamien interrupted with wide eyes. "No profanity here! Consequences… bad ones…"

"Like?"

"Detention, but it varies between people on how severe the 'wrong-doing' was."

Alvin bit his lip and sighed heavily before followed the Jamien through the crowd. "How long do we have to stay here for?" Alvin asked suddenly, his eyes filling with apprehension.

Jamien shrugged. "It depends. It changes _a lot_. My first time coming here, I was kept from my family for six months until they let me go…"

A look of sorrow made its way on Alvin's face. "That sucks."

"But it's not entirely bad," Jamien coaxed. "After certain time duration, they let you go home, and they call you back when they need you…"

Alvin fell silent as the words, and Jamien knew he was only confusing the red-clad boy, so he decided to keep his mouth shut until a Top TeCovener could take over. "So," Jamien began. "Where are you from?"

"Los Angeles."

"Really? I'm from San Diego!"

"Small world, huh?"

"Very."

Jamien smiled broadly as he began to tap his feet against the concrete floor. He then figured that some small-talk would ease Alvin's jittery nerves. "But my first home… well, the one I can remember, that is, was on Lake Shore Dr. in Chicago. It's such a gorgeous place. Ever been there?"

"I performed there," Alvin replied with a shrug, "but I never actually sat down and looked at the scenery, you know?"

"Performed?" Jamien asked before taking a long second glance at Alvin before chuckling with realization. "Gosh, your Alvin of The Chipmunks, aren't you?"

Comfort began to sooth Alvin as he too chuckled and nodded. "That's me."

It was then that Jamien led Alvin into an empty row, offering him a seat to take.

"So, what's up with this orientation?" Alvin asked suddenly as he hesitantly took his seat. "I just came from one."

"Me too," Jamien replied with a roll of his eyes, clearly annoyed by the orientation, "but this orientation is like TeCoven 101, but simplified, and after this is over, you go and get your uniform," Jamien informed as he settled himself in his seat. "But I wouldn't worry too much about the orientation now; it'll be fine."

The distraught Alvin fell silent again, sighing heavily, his mind beginning to race as he gazed around the stadium once more, "TeCoven 101?" Alvin questioned.

"It's just basic things you _need _to know about TeCoven. Like its founders and what we stand for."

Alvin's gaze fell upon every individual he could trace in the outdoor stadium when he looked above him, seeing the sun was beginning to peak over the horizon. With another sigh, Alvin dropped his gaze, and unexpectedly, his eyes landed upon a shaky girl as she walked among the crowd, tears stroking her cheeks as she followed the crowd still pouring in from the hallway.

Alvin stood to his feet.

"Hey, where're you going?" Jamien asked with narrowed eyes.

Alvin sighed heavily and took a step forward. "I-I-I think… I-I-I just saw someone. Do you mind saving my seat?"

Jamien shook his head before resting his knapsack in Alvin's chair as Alvin jetted through the crowd to catch up with the sobbing girl.

The ocean of people grew thicker as Alvin struggled to maneuver his way through the crowd, pushing his way through, angering some bystanders, but that was the least of Alvin's worries; he had to figure out who he just saw. The person looked all too familiar to him. He couldn't just let it go.

Now, he was only a few people behind the mystery girl, but he didn't let that stop him from reaching through several people, grabbing the girl by her shoulder and pulling her back. He whirled her around on her heels to face him, and in an instant, his eyes widened, his jaw dropping. "Jeanette?"


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

"I-I-I have no idea what's going on," the quiet voice spoke to the officer that early morning, the sun's rays lightly beaming upon the table he sat before, his hands between his legs as he sobbed heavily, and beside the distraught Dave was a weeping Miss Miller as she rested a head upon his shoulder. "All I know is that I was getting ready for a meeting in New York, and the next second, before I even step foot outside my hotel room, my youngest son's calling me telling me the Miller's door had been kicked down and that Alvin wasn't answering his phone… that's all I can tell you… nothing more…"

"I know this is a difficult time, sir," the officer began as he scratched the top of his sandy-blonde hair with his pencil, "but this is the point where all the information matters. We need to know as much as we can get."

Dave shot his angry gaze at the officer, his breathing quickening. "Didn't I just say that was all I knew?" he spat. "For God's sake, I was in New York City, and everything that has happened, happened in Los Angeles! How much more do you think I should know? I simply don't know what happened to my son! All I know is what my youngest son told me!"

His voice grew by the word as he stood to his feet and began to pace the room. "I've called my son numerous times as I was flying back, and there has been no answer from him! Something has obviously happened to him and his friend!"

"I understand your frustration," the officer began, "however; your son's name is Alvin Seville, correct?"

"Correct…"

The officer smirked and raised an eyebrow. "So… is this the same Alvin Seville who we brought to you for breaking curfew several times?"

Dave narrowed his eyes and frowned. "What are you trying say?"

"I'm just stating facts, Mr. Seville. It says here that this police department has picked up your son for breaking curfew ten times in the past five months alone. There's not too much to really say…"

Dave scoffed and chuckled, disbelief evident in his demeanor as he placed his hands on his hips, his head shaking to and fro. "So basically, you're implying that my son is a troublemaker, so therefore, this behavior of not coming home is typical of him, and you won't help find him?"

"Now, Mr. Seville-"

"Don't Mr. Seville me!" Dave screamed as he pounded his tight fist against the wall, having several flyers fall form their sticky-tacks, also making Miss Miller flinch where she sat. "Breaking curfew is one thing, and I understand that; every time he has broken curfew, I punished him _heavily_… but since he went out to walk Jeanette home - or that's what evidence you gathered said – you assume he's breaking curfew for walking a friend home, and now, this isn't a serious case anymore just because he broke curfew in previous times?"

"Hey… I call'em as I see'em… Mr. Seville, if your son hadn't broken curfew before, this would be an obvious kidnapping, but come on; even you can see he's a troublemaker…"

Dave gritted his teeth, holding back his words, but to no use. "You bastard… I don't need L.A.P.D… Even if it takes forever, until I'm old and grey, I'll find my son myself…"

Parked just outside the police department, the four teens sat patiently in the SUV, an awkward silence circulating throughout the vehicle. Simon gazed out the window and about the streets in hopes to spot a red-capped teen roaming here and there, perhaps making his way home, and just maybe a green-eyed brunette would be accompanied by him. He could only wish at that point. He sighed as he wiped a stray tear from his cheek. Just beside him, Eleanor sat quivering in her seat, her breathing heavy, but soundless. Every so often, as she gazed out the window, she could have sworn she saw a tall purple-attired teen stumbling down the street, but to only find it was an old woman hunched over to pick up her groceries from her feet, or maybe a jogger who tripped over a crack in the sidewalk. She sighed in desperation.

"I need some air," a sudden voice called from the back of the SUV. It was Brittany's voice as she climbed her way through the seats, opening the SUV door and slamming it back, making everyone in the vehicle shutter at the sudden burst of noise.

A great urge grew in Simon as he watched Brittany stroll slowly past the police station. He yearned to be by her side, but at the same time, he figured she needed some much-needed space. Hell, even Simon wished he could escape the devilish nightmare that was actually reality. However though, Simon decided to go with his first initial thought before heading out the vehicle, turning to the cute couple behind him and saying, "I'll see if she's okay."

Effortlessly, Simon made his way over to the still-standing auburn teen, her arms folded tightly against her as the wind lashed before her face, her hair flapping in waves. For a brief second, he watched her, her demeanor completely different from before. Simon could see her crumble before his very eyes; her shoulders, which were once strong and beholding, were now slouching and falling forward. His bottom lip quivered at the sight, his heart aching.

"Are you alright?" he asked quietly, taking a few steps forward to meet her.

Without facing Simon, Brittany shrugged and coughed. "Yeah, I just need air," she replied, turning her head enough to make Simon appear in her peripheral vision; she couldn't bring herself to make full eye contact with anybody, so that was the closest she would get.

"Are you sure?"

Brittany nodded.

"Because… if you want to, w-w-we can talk. It's not good to keep things inside; it causes emotional distress."

"Simon," Brittany spoke suddenly, turning to completely face the wide-eyed teen. "I appreciate this and all, but… I'll be fine," she reassured with several nods of her head, forcing a pained smile upon her face.

Why of course Brittany wouldn't break down in front of the likes of Simon; he was no one of importance to her, so why should she? Or… perhaps was he the most important person to her at the moment? Could he be that door to ease and comfort she had been hopelessly searching for? Whether the answer is yes or no, she was pushing away his offer she needed desperately to take.

"Brittany, I can read you like a book," he challenged as he walked to her side, crossing his arms as hers were. She shot her gaze at the boy with no anger, but astonishment flashing wildly in her light-blue eyes. "I know, Brittany. T-t-this is rough, and it hasn't been a full day yet. I understand…"

Brittany lowered her gaze and bit her lip, confusion getting the best of her. Understand what, she thought bitterly. _"How could he possibly understand my emotions? They're mine for me to understand, not him! He thinks he knows everything…"_

"I feel your pain, too," Simon continued with a nod, and suddenly, he reached for her hand, holding it tightly in his grasp. "Having someone you're 'attached at the hip' with suddenly disappearing is… numbing… you just don't know what to do. You don't understand why it had to be them, and right now… I know you're just trying to accept the fact that it was her that had to come up missing… even though trying to accept it all is physically weakening you… I understand…"

"And how did you know that's what I'm thinking?" she asked irritably. "You don't know. You think you understand just because your brother went missing, too! You automatically feel the need to connect to my emotions? Newsflash!" she spat. "You _don't _understand!"

Simon sighed and squeezed her hand tightly in his, making her gaze up. "You're wrong. I know because…" he paused, the need to cry creeping up on him. "I wouldn't be out here with you… If I didn't know _exactly_ how you felt, I would still be in the SUV…"

Carefully, he wiped a stray tear from Brittany's cheek.

At the abrupt gesture and those simply, yet soothing words, Brittany's eyes fluttered, and that was all she needed for Simon to say; before she knew it, she had let go of his kind hand and swung her arms around his neck, her head burying itself in Simon's chest, her cries louder than before.

Yes, he was quite important. And yes, she had found her oasis door. And yes… he understood…

"You," he spoke breathless, several tears slipping from his eyes, "can cry in front of me all you like…"

~7~7~7~7~

Alvin's tight grasp around the female's tiny shoulders loosened, having to take a second glance at the weeping teenager. Was this Jeanette? The girl's long brown hair draping down her back seemed to be Jeanette's, and her green eyes glossed over with tears seemed familiar as well, but Alvin could feel that he had made a mistake.

As his arms fell to his side in full-blown disappointment, he shook his head and sighed. "I-I-I'm so sorry," he apologized meekly, biting his lip in embarrassment. "I thought… you were someone I knew…"

Before him, the girl's eyes flashed with confusion, her head cocked to the side as if studying the bent-out-of-shape boy, her tears missing her cheek and hitting the concrete floor below, and as she analyzed him, he slowly turned on his heels and made his way back for his saved seat.

"Alvin!" the mystery girl spat as she pushed through the crowd to catch up to him

He quickly whirled back around, facing the girl with a perplexed look casted on his face. _"How did she know my name?" _he thought suddenly. "Yeah?"

"Al…" she whispered desperately. "You can't recognize me without my glasses?" she asked through narrowed eyes.

At the sudden realization, Alvin staggered back from where he stood to get a better look at the brunette to find that it was indeed the Jeanette he knew all too well. The two soon embraced each other in a warming hug, but Alvin quickly pulled away, holding Jeanette like once before.

"What the hell are you doing here? And where the hell are your glasses? You know you're blind as bat!" he lectured as he took her by her wrist and led her off to his seat.

"Alvin, don't pull me so fast!" Jeanette whimpered as she snatched away. "I can hardly see where I step…" she finished shamefully, bowing her head afterwards.

"Oh," Alvin spat before rubbing the back of his neck. "It's just… what happened?" he asked in a low whisper, even above the obnoxious people around him.

Jeanette slowly shook her head, her eyes fluttering rapidly; she was terribly sleep-deprived, even after her long sleep from the heavy dose of the sleeping pill. "I hardly remember. But I do remember trying to call you on your cell phone to make sure your walk home was safe…"

"Well obviously," he began, raising his pants leg, glorifying his dark blue scar running up and down his leg, "I didn't exactly make it home."

Jeanette moaned pitifully as she hid her face behind her tiny hands. "Oh Alvin, I told you not to walk me home! You would have never gotten hurt if it weren't for me!"

Alvin smiled contently before crossing his arms over his chest. "Well, you know me, right? That stubborn-ass boy who just wanted to do a friend a favor."

Guilt washed over Jeanette as she swept her foot along the ground. "I appreciated, though. I just didn't give it a second thought that something terrible would happen to you."

"Well, I guess that walk home didn't do either of us any justice, huh?" Alvin asked with a chuckle.

Jeanette could tell Alvin was trying his best to lighten the mood, and even though she hated to admit it, but his simple jokes were putting her at ease.

"That van that stalked us? Yeah, they got me with this… I don't know, lightning thing or whatever… How the hell did you get here?"

For once, Jeanette wished she could rid herself of the shame she harbored within; she felt shameful for the pitiful act she pulled; giving up. She could only imagine how Alvin would react when she would tell him how easily she gave in without putting up some sort of a fight. She knew he would scold her, lecturing her on how she had a good opportunity to call the police, or maybe even crack up with laughter at the sorry fact that she put forth no effort in rescuing herself. Perhaps he would disown her as a friend entirely. _"Who would want a defenseless girl like me as a friend after I tell him?"_

"I-I-I was afraid," she replied, clearing her throat. "I didn't know what to do; my anxiety was acting up, my chest was hurting terribly. So… I didn't run… I-I-I let him take me. I just wanted to stop hiding in the closet so it could all be over. Now I know how stupid of an idea that was."

Jeanette anticipated for Alvin to give his full opinion, but she didn't expect for him to do it without the use of words. He gazed into her glossy green eyes, almost speechless. And before she could even ask, Alvin had taken the scrawny girl in his arms, startling her by the sudden gesture.

"A hug?" she asked as she eyed Alvin closely, an eyebrow raised upon her forehead. "But why-"

"Look," he interrupted as he brought up his hands to the front of him. "I know. I know I'm that insensitive jerk who can't seem to see things through other people's point of view. But c'mon!" he spat with a wide smile. "I ain't that clueless!"

"But I gave up without fighting! That's silly! I could've gotten help!"

"If I were hiding in a closet with an anxiety attack, I would have given up, too. There's no shame in being scared."

"But you're Alvin Tracey Seville; the most fearless, roughest guy I know! Of course you would say that because you're never scared!" Jeanette presumed with wide eyes. "You, telling me, how you're terrified to walk home after a track meet was probably a big jest, right?"

"You thought it was…"

A light gasp escaped Jeanette as it was Alvin's turn to gaze at the floor in shame, his face the brightest red. Now, Jeanette knew she has taken her accusations just a tad bit too far, and she could see it written on Alvin's face.

From behind Alvin, Jeanette could see someone cautiously approach, the person's hands folded behind his back. He looked to Jeanette and smiled softly.

"Am I interrupting something?"

Alvin turned to see it was Jamien, his eyes gazing at the two with uncertainty. He drew himself out of his thoughts and replied with, "Uh, n-n-no, it's cool, right Jean?"

Jeanette nodded without a word, and upon doing so, her shoulders fell at the sight of Alvin, who was pretty pale compared to a few seconds ago.

"Jeanette, this is Jamien," he introduced as he stepped side graciously to allow Jamien some room.

A content smile made its way upon his face as he glanced at the two. "You two know each other?"

Jeanette gazed over at the paling Alvin, his eyes becoming bloodshot, his jaw slightly dropped.

"Alvin," Jeanette spat alarmingly. "Is everything okay?"

Nothing could pull Alvin from what he was seeing before him upon the oversized projector hanging from the rafters of the stadium's stage. Several pictures flashed in the slideshow, and among those pictures was a sepia-toned portrait with a group of high school students gathered around, and in that group – Alvin could clearly see – was his grandfather; the same exact picture his mother kept tucked away in her drawer, and before him, Alvin saw that same cocky smile upon his grandfather's face that read, "I'm the damn best".

****Sorry about the late chapter guys! I kinda have a writer's block going on, and it's killing me! Ugh! .' So, I hope you enjoyed this chapter and be sure to check out new stories I'll be posting soon! Catch you guys later, my awesome readers! :)****


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

"Still nothing…" a weary voice sighed from the corner of the living room, his hand practically glued to the telephone, waiting for it to ring just once. Someone had to know something; too many witnesses gave their side of the story to not know where those ghoulish fiends could have taken Alvin and Jeanette, so therefore, the families of the lost ones took it upon themselves to staple Missing People flyers all across the city, their bright smiles plastered on every single flyer with a brief description of them. However, Simon – who decided to sit at the phone – refused to go. "It's not happening… it's just not real…" he had told the family before they left that early morning.

"Well, this is good money for the paparazzi…" Simon thought bitterly, his mouth fixed in a snarl. "Just the story they need to make their money; 'Singing sensations of the Chipmunks and Chipettes MISSING!' Simon could already see how the National Inquire would have the headline to its magazine laid out; Alvin and Jeanette's picture skewed to fit the entire cover with the word 'missing' bolded and italicized over-exaggeratedly, and maybe the truth… stretched beyond belief. Just the thought of it made Simon sick like before.

The phone suddenly rang.

He made no hesitations with snatching it from the receiver.

"Hello!"

"Simon, calm down, it's me…"

Simon sagged in his seat and slapped his forehead in embarrassment. "Sorry Theo… I figured since you guys were out putting the flyers up, someone would see our number and call… if they knew _anything_…"

"It's fine, Si. Just relax. Someone will call!"

"I really hope so…"

"I know so…"

But even Theodore couldn't fully assure himself.

Simon slammed the phone back on its receiver and covered his face with his sweaty palms. "If only I had answered the door…"

~7~7~7~7~

Alvin was left breathless by the sight of the picture before him; he clutched his chest and staggered back. Jeanette and Jamien saw this and gazed at Alvin startlingly.

"Alvin, is everything fine?"

Without reluctance, Alvin shook his head before pointing a trembling finger towards the projects far from them. "There… that's my grandfather!" he exclaimed. "No one else should have that picture! Only my mom has that picture!"

Jamien frowned at this and turned to Alvin, crossing his arms over his chest. "Did they half-way explain all of this to you guys?" he asked the bewildered teens, pointing a finger to each of them as he led them back to their original seats.

They both shook their head, carefully sitting consecutively.

"TeCoven," Jamien began softly as the crowd began to settle. "It's all about ancestry. Meaning," he started, taking Alvin tightly by the sleeve, pulling him close, "your ancestors can be traced back to Pre-Columbian times! It's far; TeCoven has been around for _centurie_s… This isn't some police force you have to sign up for! You're chosen automatically and it's all thanks to your ancestors!"

"But why?" Jeanette asked in a quivering voice. "What's this for, why do our ancestors matter, why are we here?"

Jamien pointed down to the stage that lied before the hundreds and hundreds of people, pointing to one man behind the podium. "That's Neil, the Top TeCovener; he's Top TeCovener because his ancestors were Top TeCoveners. There are no privileges… you have the right… it's in your blood… He'll explain better than I'll be able to, I promise!"

Alvin and Jeanette exchanged nervous glances until the voice of the Top TeCovener boomed through the speakers hanging from the stager's rafters. It made a shiver travel throughout Alvin's entire being as he clutched the chairs' armrest.

"TeCoveners… young and old… newcomers and veterans… I genuinely welcome you all to TeCoven…" he paused as he gazed around at all the faces before him, licking his lips afterwards before continuing.

"For all of you newcomers out there in the audience… I remember being in your shoes at one point and what emotions _I_ was personally feeling: scared, confused, upset, you name it, I felt it. I-I-I had no idea why I was suddenly taken from home, from my friends, and my family. I didn't understand it at all! When I was sixteen listening to _my_ Top TeCovener giving this speech, I wanted nothing more than to just run out of here and never turn back… It wasn't fair to me or all the other newcomers…"

Over the majority of the audience nodded in agreement, and a select few began to whimper at the thought of being away from the people they truly loved. Seeing this broke Jeanette's heart, and she too, began to whimper softly, quickly wiping the tears from her eyes.

"Why are we here anyway?" a brave soul in the audience shouted forcefully, her fists tight, making her knuckles white as powder. "I was sleeping when those monsters came and scooped me up! Why should I stay here?!"

Others around retorted with, "Yeah, this isn't fair!" and "I want to go home!" and "You can't take away our freedom!"

The Top TeCovener, Neil, politely waited until the feisty newcomers settled down before continuing, his lip bit in anticipation. What could he say? Back in his teen years, he was among the feisty newbies of his group; he was the type that wanted straightforward answers, and he stopped at nothing until he got those answers.

"I can assure," Neil began soothingly, "we are _not_ here to hurt you, and in no time, you'll be able to go home. You'll all be given the necessities you need in order to complete your time here at TeCoven.

"You people before me are not just mere policemen or Navy SEALs, or even army men. All of us… in this room…" he paused, readjusting the microphone in his grip. "… are defined as TeCoven: The Ultimate Protectors…"

Alvin swallowed hard before he and Jeanette exchanged terrified glances, sweat lining the tops of their foreheads.

"So, if we're the 'Ultimate Protectors'," the same girl out in the audience exclaimed with all her might, "then why the hell haven't I heard of them before?!"

Neil smirked at the girl's question and replied with, "Actually, you have…"

The girl's face wrinkled tightly at his words before slowly taking her seat, waiting for an explanation, bewilderment getting the best of her.

"We're a secret force. But not too discrete, you may think. Of all the world disasters you may have heard of throughout these last several years…" Neil began suddenly. "Whether it was… 9/11, for example. Who do you think was there from the time the first plane hit the tower to the time police forces showed up? We were… discretely evacuating many people out of those buildings before another soul was hurt.

"So, there, you've heard of us, subconsciously, or course. But, you see, we as TeCoveners are there to fill in those gaps between the disaster and the forces arriving. If we weren't there to fill in those missing gaps of time… just think of how many more people would have died if we weren't there! I'll tell you, TeCoven has been there during 9/11, World Wars one and two, and sure enough Pearl Harbor, and the bombing of Hiroshima.

"Not only are we time fillers… but we are peacekeepers. Between America and Japan, we were there, helping both sides; not seeing who was right or who was wrong, but making sure that nobody got hurt. Sad to say, a TeCoven in Hiroshima was forever destroyed because of the tragic bombing…"

"Jeanette…" Alvin suddenly whispered, shooting his gaze to the shaky girl.

"What?"

"Call me crazy…" he began. "But… I think I know what he's taking about…"

"Well, of course," Jeanette managed to whisper back. "We learned about these things in History class."

"No Jean! I think I've heard of this _way_ before starting school…"

_"Tell us another story, Grandpa!" the rambunctious fourth-grader exclaimed as he hopped into his sleeping Grandfather's lap, waking him up with a jerk._

_ George, with half-opened eyes and a smirk upon his face, rose from his seat on his couch, settling Alvin in his lap._

_ Months after finding their mother, the boys had finally got to meet their Grandfather for the first time, who warmly welcomed the three into his lives, and Alvin, the not-so-shy one of the group, taking an immediate interest in his newfound family member. So, before the sleepy George sat his grandsons, the red-clad Alvin, who was plopped in his lap, and the younger two, Simon and Theodore, seated at his legs._

_ "Okay you guys," George began with a sigh and a raspy chuckle. "What story would you like to hear now? Would you like me to tell the story of how your Great-grandfather fought at Pearl Harbor again?"_

_ "We've heard that one, right guys?" Alvin exclaimed with a wide smile. "You should tell us a new one!"_

_ Simon and Theodore exchanged glances, and after some time, nodded in agreement, making the old George chuckle to his heart's content._

_ "Well, majority rules! So…" George paused, rubbing his chin that held a goatee. After coming to a conclusion, he snapped his fingers and exclaimed, "I've got the perfect story! Did I ever tell you guys of the time I saved thousands of people from several burning buildings?!" he over-exaggerated greatly, flailing his arms in the air to bring on the dramatics. _

_ The boys gasped in amusement, and George assured with wide eyes._

_ "Did you really?" Theodore asked before he too, ventured his way into George's lap, taking a cookie from a nearby plate._

_ George's smile grew wide with appreciation as he rested his back against his chair. "Yes, so there I was-"_

_ "Hold it!" an abrupt voice called out, making everyone jump in surprise._

_ Two brunettes shortly made their way into the living room; the youngest one short, harboring the bluest eyes possibly, and the oldest one significantly taller than the other, her brown eyes sparkling in the morning sun._

_ "Daddy, stop telling my children these off-the-wall stories!" the young, blue-eyed Vinny exclaimed playfully as she rested a hand upon her father's shoulders. "You gave my little Theodore nightmares the last time they spent a week here with you!"_

_ "But I like Grandpa's stories, Mom!" Theodore replied with a small, hesitant smile._

_ "Yeah, lighten up a little, Vinny!" the tall brunette, Vinny's older sister, Veronica bellowed as she crossed her arms over her chest. "They're just stories!" she finished with a small giggle._

_ Vinny rolled her eyes before marching off to the kitchen, leaving a look of disappointment casted across George's face._

_ Everyone knew Vinny didn't care too much for the overly exaggerated stories; even the boys could feel the uneasiness coming from their mother._

_ "It's okay Daddy," Veronica spoke soothingly as she rested her petite hand upon his broad shoulder, beaming a smile in his direction. "You go ahead and tell your stories…"_

_ With a hesitant sigh, George mustered up a smile and held Alvin and Theodore close to him while gesturing Simon to come to his lap. "Now… where was I…"_

"Jeanette… those stories… they weren't stories he made up," Alvin came to sudden, his blue eyes widening at his own accusation.

With confusion casting over her expression, Jeanette replied with, "Then what were they?"

"They…" he began, "… were _all_ _true_…"

"So, what are you saying?"

"Jean!" Alvin abruptly spoke, shocked to know that Jeanette had not caught on. "It's obvious; the picture, the people asking me if I knew a 'George' in my family, the stories? Jeanette… he worked for TeCoven… I know it…"


End file.
